To conquer, every empire needed resources to consume other lands, states and kingdoms in order to push their borders far and wide. To do this you need a mouth, an ostia, Latin for mouth. So became the name of the port that fed both capital and empire of Rome. It provided grains, oils, wine and other goods to Rome and sent out armies to the world.
Ostia Antica has a long, layered history of change, growth and purpose. This interactive presentation is a progression work of online tools for a deep understanding of Ostia as it was then and as it is now. Ostia Antica had grown form a farmer’s village, to a military outpost to a major port and then into a multicultural metropolis for commerce and trade. The bloodline to an Empire and what it is today - part historical park for tourism, part archeological site and one vast classroom for students.
Layers of Rome have created Ostia: The Mouth of Rome as an multimedia, educational page on the city and its history. Browse our interactive map below to discover the sites within the city walls.
Interactive Map of Ostia Antica
Explore the Customs and Culture of Ancient Ostia
