Rome is known far and wide… tourists flock all year round to admire the art found within the Vatican, seat of the Pope and to gawk at the majesty and history of the Coliseum, one of the most popular monuments in the world. What few people know, however, is that Rome sports many other gems, one of which Melisande Aquilina was thrilled to discover earlier this year.

My attention was caught by the archaeological site of Ostia Antica. Close to the modern suburb of Ostia, a district within Rome, Ostia Antica, whose oldest remains date back to the 4th century BC, used to be Rome’s major seaport. At the time it was to be found at the mouth of the river Tiber. However, due to silting and other conditions, the river shifted and the site now lies around three kilometres away from the sea.

It is very easy to leave central Rome and arrive at the sprawling 10,000 acres of ruins that form Ostia Antica, which is merely a 20-minute train ride away. We had purchased a weekly ticket covering both trains and underground transport (costing a mere €24) and allocated half a day to visiting this historical milestone. In hindsight, I would counsel any tourist to dedicate a whole day to it in order to see the city in its entirety at a fairly comfortable pace.

Ancient Roman ruins, the bakery.

Before entering the remains of the city proper, we planned on first visiting the nearby Castle of Julius II. This magnificent structure, built in 1486, is surrounded with heavy walls and bastions and was armed to defend and protect the harbour. Unfortunately, however, I did not get to see it from the inside as it was closed for restructuring.

The ticket booth for the city is only two minutes away from the castle and the ticket costs only €8. Be warned though… there are no bathrooms to be found once you enter the ruins themselves. I would definitely suggest using the facilities just in front of the ticket booth before entering. One can also buy a comprehensive map of Ostia Antica with the ticket. This is very useful even if you don’t manage to actually see every part of the city… specific buildings and important sites are clearly marked as are the many branching streets.

Ostia Antica is a big city, complete with very well preserved public buildings and statues, baths, an amphitheatre, a main street, shops and even apartments. Since the city centre was situated close to the port on the other side of the current entrance, at present one actually gets in from its backdoor so to speak.

The first thing I saw after we had by-passed the entrance was the Necropolis, the city of the dead, which is where the Romans used to bury their relatives. Cemeteries at the time were always built outside the city proper. Past the very well-structured tombs, we then came across the Roman terme or Baths of Neptune, where we were surprised to find a team of professional archaeologists at work, restoring a large and colourful mosaic. Ostia Antica is the responsibility of the Special Superintendence for Archaeological Heritage of Rome.

Roman ancient theatre in Ostia Antica.

The baths, complete with gymnasia and steam rooms, were clearly labelled as are most of the main buildings and centres within the city. Directly behind the baths we found the Watchmen’s barracks and later on the so called Piazzale delle Corporazioni. This was basically a public square around which were housed the offices of more than 64 maritime companies, each one dealing with the shipping of various products to and from different countries.

One could trade in any kind of merchandise – wheat from Spain, sugar from India and African animals for the Coliseum games. Slaves were even procured here for the aristocracy from Egypt and the Middle East. Small mosaic plaques in front of each office would proclaim the products and names of each specific trader.

All roads lead to rome, but, unfortunately, not all roads lead to Ostia Antica

Once a military port and colony, Ostia Antica flourished into a centre of trade. No modern houses, roads or telephone wires are visible on the horizon, lending the experience an aura of authenticity and inviting the interested tourist to truly imagine what life was like at the time when the city was alive and thriving.

As I walked along the main street between the laundry shop and the bakery, the warehouses and the workshops, I could almost hear the din of crying vendors and the sound of tools and forges.

An important side note. If you are spending time in Ostia Antica, be sure to wear comfortable shoes as the city is large and you will most certainly walk a lot.

During its peak in the 2nd and 3rd century AD, Ostia Antica was home to around 100,000 inhabitants. People worked in trade, lived in villas and apartments, prayed to the gods in small temples, socialised in the public squares and even entertained and had fun at the large amphitheatre situated just in front of the baths.

The amphitheatre was erected during the 12th century BC and could hold 3,500 spectators. A great idea is to stand exactly in the middle of the theatre, shout something at the top of your voice and hear those natural acoustics enhance the sound. Unless you actually want to entertain a crowd of laughing tourists, better do this when there is no one taking photos on the steps!

The Temple of Ceres, majestically overlooking the amphitheatre surrounded by a venue of old gnarled trees, seemed like the perfect place to eat our packed lunch. As we took a much needed break on the high steps, we could see most of the city spread out magically around us.

The social heart of the city was the Forum or Capitolium, which was built around the 1st century BC and functioned as a public square, a market place, and gathering place. Like any prominent public space in any city today, the Forum was flanked by a large public latrina with no partitions between the very-well preserved rock-seats that are very close to each other. This showed that while clients used the latrina, it was quite a social moment where they would relax and converse while doing their business.

Then we moved on to the tiny museum on the northern side of Ostia Antica. Entrance to the museum is also included in the initial ticket price. The Capitolium, the Temple of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva, can also be found at the northern end of the Forum, along with four other small temples. Moving on, one can find many other buildings, including villas belonging to noblemen, smaller apartments where tradesmen lived, hostels, brothels, shops and even two other large public baths.

As mooring boats started to become more difficult due to the river’s changes, the harbour of Cittavecchia, a short distance away, started to be used instead of Ostia Antica. This spelled the city’s commercial decline. During the later decadent Roman era, the town ceased to be an active port and instead became a country retreat for rich aristocrats. It later continued to deteriorate and was abandoned due to repetitive invasions and sacking by corsairs. Today, however, this precious timeless testament to history is being taken care of and restored.

All roads lead to Rome, but, unfortunately, not all roads lead to Ostia Antica, which is perhaps the most underrated archaeological city in Europe. I was definitely awed and enchanted by its beauty. I will surely mention it every time someone asks about my trip to Rome, which is far richer than is commonly believed.