Last week I meet a USA group of students for a visit of the excavations of Ancient Ostia.
We started with the necropolis along the Ostiense road, than we entered the Ancient gate to walk along Ostia’s Decumanus Maximus. The baths of Neptune, our first stop, had a great part of the floor mosaics covered with plastic (in winter time they’re preserved form the weather), nevertheless we all gathered in the open air gymnasium, and wandered about the sports Romans performed in the past.
We started with the necropolis along the Ostiense road, than we entered the Ancient gate to walk along Ostia’s Decumanus Maximus. The baths of Neptune, our first stop, had a great part of the floor mosaics covered with plastic (in winter time they’re preserved form the weather), nevertheless we all gathered in the open air gymnasium, and wandered about the sports Romans performed in the past.
The ancient road lined with insulae (block apartments where ordinary people lived ) was the next stop, before reaching the fireman barracks. Firemen were very important for the cities as fires occurred very frequently due to the habit of cooking and the use of oil lamps in each ones flat. In those days water was available in the streets, not in the single apartments…
The Fireman Barrack is very large and well organized with large fountains in the central courtyard and a big hall where they were worshipping their cults, above all the one of the emperor.
Just off the main gate of the barrack there were three little ‘couponae’ or drinking places for them to stop and grab a glass of wine. When they were out of duty they had drinks available right there!!
My friend Alessia, tour leader of the group, took a bounces of pictures of me explaining, I wish to share one with you. The rest of the Ostia itinerary may follow…
The Fireman Barrack is very large and well organized with large fountains in the central courtyard and a big hall where they were worshipping their cults, above all the one of the emperor.
Just off the main gate of the barrack there were three little ‘couponae’ or drinking places for them to stop and grab a glass of wine. When they were out of duty they had drinks available right there!!
My friend Alessia, tour leader of the group, took a bounces of pictures of me explaining, I wish to share one with you. The rest of the Ostia itinerary may follow…
