Ancient Ostia

Overview

Ancient Ostia (Ostia Antica), one of the best-preserved archaeological sites in Italy, was once a thriving port city of roughly 100,000 inhabitants conquered by Rome. As the Roman empire expanded, its capital city needed a larger port, and Ostia was eventually abandoned and buried under silt as the course of the Tiber River changed. This layer of mud protected the ancient Roman town from the ravages of time.