LaurieAnnie's photos with the keyword: Ostia

Regio III - Insula XVII - Caseggiato di Bacco e Arianna (III,XVII,5) The House of Bacchus and Ariadne was built in the Hadrianic period (opus mixtum). The building was entered through a passage in the south part of the east facade. Here the road was spanned by four brick arches. Directly behind the entrance is a large courtyard with a basin (A). Originally a wide passage in the south-east corner led to the Serapeum to the south. The building seems to have been related to the temple, like the House of the Serapeum. Perhaps priests lived here. To the north of the courtyard is a porticus with brick piers (B; c. 7.50 x 24.50 metres), behind which are four rooms. The north-eastern room (C; c. 5 x 9.50 metres) was a dining-room with a black-and-white mosaic. Depicted are vines and birds, and, in the back, a gorgoneion (head of Medusa) and winged figures. The mosaic indicates the position of a biclinium. The room to the west (D; c. 6.30 x 10 metres) was perhaps a meeting hall. It was twice as high as the other rooms. On the floor is an excellent black-and-white mosaic with floral motifs and a panel with figures in the centre. Depicted are Bacchus and Ariadne, and the struggling Eros and Pan (representing love and lust). An old Silenus acts as referee. A herm, a krater, a branch of a palmtree, and a wreath for the winner on a table indicate, that the scene takes place in a palaestra. The black-and-white mosaics are Hadrianic. Rooms C and D are at a slightly higher level than the porticus, and were reached along a few marble treads. In the north-east part of the building are two shops, behind a porticus on Via della Foce. The one at the intersection of Via della Foce and Via del Serapide was a bar (E). It could be entered from either street. A bar counter is indicated in the north-west corner of the room on the plan in SO I. The structure has now disappeared completely. To the south of the bar is a staircase, that led to apartments on the upper floor(s). The north-west part of the building has not yet been excavated. In the late third or early fourth century the passage to the Serapeum was blocked. In this period a fountain-niche was added behind the entrance to the building, to the left. Some other minor modifications in opus vittatum can be seen, including a small porch in front of the entrance. Text from: www.ostia-antica.org/regio3/17/17-5.htm

Regio III - Insula XVII - Serapeum (III,XVII,4) This temple was connected with the Domus del Serapeo to the south and the Caseggiato di Bacco e Arianna to the north, through passages and via a corridor behind the buildings. The three buildings were excavated in 1939-1940 and 1946-1953. The Serapeum was a temple dedicated to Serapis, an Egyptian deity, resulting from syncretism between Osiris-Apis (hence the name Serapis) and Jupiter. Brick stamps show that the building was erected between 123 and 126 AD. Most likely this temple is mentioned in the Fasti Ostienses, the official calendar of the city. In that case it was donated to the city by a private person, Caltilius P..., and inaugurated 24 January 127 AD, the birthday of the Emperor Hadrian: VIIII K FEBR TEMPLVM SARAPI QVOD [.] CALTILIVS P[? ---] SVA PECVNIA EXSTRVXIT DEDICATVM [es]T A dedication to Isis Bubastis has been found in Ostia, the initiative of a woman from the same family (Caltilia Diodora). It may come from the Serapeum, or from the temple of Isis, which has not yet been found. The Ostian temple complex was made of opus mixtum. In the centre of the facade was a porch, perhaps from the end of the second century AD. The bases of two columns have been preserved, and two niches, lined with marble. In the porch is a black-and-white mosaic of the bull Apis (a relief of Apis was found in the neighbourhood). A triangular inscription with the words: IOVI SERAPI(di) "(Dedicated to) Jupiter Serapis", was probably on top of the porch (broken in two, it had been reused as pavement in the building). To the right of the entrance, in the north-east corner of the building, is a water basin. It is a distribution reservoir, from which water was taken to a simple basin on the street, and to the House of Bacchus and Ariadne and the House of the Serapeum. Behind the porch is a courtyard (c. 8 x 11 metres) with a porticus with brick piers (replacing columns) to the left and right. In the courtyard is a mosaic with Nilotic scenes, the porticus has a floor of opus sectile. To the north was a passage to the House of Bacchus and Ariadne. It was blocked by an exedra (in the late third or early fourth century?). The walls and floor of the exedra were decorated with marble, in the entrance were two columns. In the same period a passage to the House of the Serapeum was blocked. The actual temple was behind the courtyard. It was on top of a brick podium, and was reached along a wide staircase with marble steps. In front of the staircase is a large altar, decorated with marble (1.80 x 1.50). In the pronaos were two granite columns, and a mosaic combined with pieces of marble and alabaster, dated to the third century. In the back of the cella were high podiums. Remains of the decoration were found: thin sheets of precious material, such as agate and mother of pearl. At a later date the sides of the pronaos were closed, thus creating an extension of the cella. In and near the temple two bases were found with dedications to Hercules, the Dioscures and I(upiter) O(ptimus) M(aximus) S(erapis), from the late second or early third century AD. Note that the Dioscures were worshipped in Ostia as protectors of ships. I(ovi) O(ptimo) M(aximo) S(erapidi) CASTORIBVS MMMM (= Marci quattuor) IVLI(i) CHRY SOPHORVS SEVIR AVG(ustalis) IDEM Q(uin)Q(uennalis) CVM AELIANO QVI ET SA RAPIONE FIL(io) ET ZOSI MO ET PHILIPPO FIL(io) V(oto) S(uscepto) R(eddiderunt) [I(ovi)] O(ptimo) M(aximo) S(erapidi) HERCVLI MMMM (= Marci quattuor) IVLI(i) CHRYSO PHORVS SEVIR AVG(ustalis) IDEM Q(uin)Q(uennalis) CVM AELIANO QVI ET SARAPIONE FIL(io) ET ZOSIMO CVM PHI LIPPO FIL(io) VOTO SVSC EPTO REDDIDERVNT Inscriptions testify to the existence of a Serapeum in Portus. Here most inscriptions referring to his cult are in Greek, contrary to Ostia, where Latin is the language used most often. In Portus there is a clear link with the Alexandrian grain fleet, and it is possible that the building of the Ostian Serapeum was related to the first arrival of the Alexandrian grain fleet at the mouth of th

Regio I - Insula XIV - Domus di Amore e Psiche (I,XIV,5) The House of Cupid and Psyche was installed in late antiquity in a number of shops dated to the second century AD (opus mixtum and latericium). Some shops to the west of the house remained in use. They are behind a porticus, that lost its function after the erection of walls with which the shops were expanded. The main entrance is in the south: vestibule A. There are benches along the north and west wall, originally covered with marble. On the floor is a coarse polychrome mosaic without a pattern. The vestibule leads to the central room B, with a bench in the south wall and a geometric polychrome mosaic on the floor. To the north is the main room C, reached along a single marble tread, and probably two storeys high. In the south-east corner of the room is a fountain-niche with a hole in the back for a lead pipe and a marble basin. In the south-west corner is a staircase. The floor is decorated with opus sectile of the highest quality. The lower part of the walls was covered with marble, the upper part with plaster. To the south-east of the central room is corridor G leading to latrine H. To the west of the central room are three small rooms, probably bedrooms (cubicula): D, E and F. In D is a black-and-white mosaic with geometric motifs, in E opus sectile on the floor and marble revetment on the walls, and in F another black-and-white mosaic with geometric motifs while the walls were painted. A statue of Cupid and Psyche on a pedestal stood in the centre of room E (for a long time a plaster cast was in situ, but it was destroyed by vandals in the 1980's). It was made at the time that the house was built. Along the east side of room B was a tiny garden (viridarium I), separated from the central room by marble and granite columns, supporting arches made of brick and travertine. There was no roof over the garden. Behind the garden a monumental nymphaeum was built, with marble revetment and polychrome mosaics. The lower part consists of five semicircular niches. The upper part has five semicircular and rectangular niches, between which are marble columns. Between the bases of the columns are small marble steps, over which the water flowed. Water also emerged from holes in the front of the lower part, between the niches. The garden was the main source of light in the building. The house was excavated in 1938. It was built in opus vittatum in the second quarter of the fourth century AD. The building is at a higher level than that of the second century. Around the building the level was raised considerably, by dumping earth. It has been suggested (Heres) that the house was in an area that was regularly flooded, and that therefore a dyke of earth was built. This hypothesis is however contradicted by geological research. It is surprising that the house is not situated in the south part of Ostia, like so many other domus. Perhaps the owner was a priest of Hercules, who had a temple directly to the south of the house, which was maintained in late antiquity. Text from: www.ostia-antica.org/regio1/14/14-5.htm

The Market, a building where meat was sold, was excavated in 1938. Restorations were carried out in 1942. Further excavations took place in 1949-1953, by the Soprintendenza, and in 1997-2001, by the University of Augsburg. Most of the masonry belongs to the later second century, probably to the reign of Commodus (180-192 AD; opus latericium). Below the building remains were found of a building from the first half of the third century BC (destroyed by a fire), and of a late-republican building (c. 70-30 BC), possibly a domus, also destroyed by a fire. If there really was a domus under the present ruins, then the Macellum may originally have been elsewhere in the city. Some Augustan masonry (shops) was found below the east half of the courtyard. The building is dominated by a courtyard. It could be reached directly from Via del Pomerio to the east, through two entrances two metres wide. The entrances were closed with wooden doors, witness the thresholds. The courtyard could also be reached from the north, from the Decumanus. Here is a monumental entrance, a porch with two granite columns. A corridor leads to the interior. Further to the west is a secondary corridor, with a white mosaic. The north part of the building consists of shops. Some are behind porticos along the Decumanus and Via del Pomerio, others face the courtyard. In the second shop to the east of the main corridor, on the Decumanus, is a masonry counter that partly blocks the entrance. It was decorated with marble. In the front is a niche. A north-south running wall was set against the counter. There are two staircases in this part of the building. In the northern porticus the Taberne dei Pescivendoli (IV,V,1) were installed. To the south-west of the courtyard is a large room, perhaps with a barrel-vault, where standard weights and measures may have been kept (see below). To the west of the courtyard is a deep podium, that originally had a roof. It was supported by brick piers set against the back wall, and by six marble columns with corinthian capitals set against the front of the podium. The podium could be reached from the courtyard along little staircases. Two staircases in the centre lead downward to a room below the podium. In this room are a few small basins. The marble columns were found partly in the building and partly in the neighbourhood, reused in other structures in late antiquity. Text from: www.ostia-antica.org/regio4/5/5-2.htm

Regio I - Insula XV - Tempio di Ercole (I,XV,5) The Temple of Hercules is the dominating building in the Sacred Area of the Republican Temples. It was built in the last quarter of the second or the first half of the first century BC. It is strictly oriented east-west. The temple measures 31 x 16 metres. The podium is of tufa (opus quadratum), decorated with a cornice, and resting on a travertine base of two steps. A flight of eight travertine treads leads to the pronaos, which has a facade of six columns. In the cella remains of the original opus quasi reticulatum and Trajanic opus mixtum can be seen. The interior was decorated with small brick columns with tufa bases and capitals. On the floor of the pronaos and cella were simple black-and-white mosaics, perhaps from the third century AD. To the earliest period belongs the base of a statue, made of Greek marble, dedicated to Hercules by a freedman, P. Livius. This is the oldest inscription on marble from Ostia. In the temple a marble statue was found of a naked, resting male person. It is an idealized portrait statue of C. Cartilius Poplicola, one of the leading figures in Ostia in the first century BC. On the statue is the inscription: C. CARTILIVS C. F(ilius) DVOVIRV TERTIO POPLICOLAE Duoviru iterum, "for the second time", was changed to duoviru tertio, "for the third time". Poplicolae ("Friend of the people") was added later, and perhaps erroneously as a dative. Perhaps Poplicola is in the guise of Theseus. The statue may also be a representation of, simultaneously, the Genius of Poplicola and the Genius of Ostia. The temple may have been built by the father of Poplicola, as is suggested by a very fragmentary inscription, perhaps the original dedicatory inscription. Hercules may have been worshipped here as a god of war, in particular by the commanders of the military fleet stationed at the mouth of the Tiber. The younger Poplicola had also been involved in a naval battle, depicted on his tomb outside Porta Marina. Near the temple a marble votive relief from the first half of the first century BC was found (0.71 high; a plaster cast has been attached to the podium of the temple). Three scenes are depicted, apparently to be seen from right to left. In the first scene are two groups of three fishermen pulling at a net. In the net are an empty ship, three fishes, and a statue of Hercules. Near Hercules is a box. In the second scene Hercules takes a folded tablet from a box that is identical to the box in the first scene, and hands it over to an attendant. This is an oracular response (sors). On the tablet is the text [s]ort(es) H(erculis). Above the figures is an open tablet. In the third scene a priest in a toga hands over the sors to another person, now lost, near whom is a small, winged Victoria with a wreath. The name of the priest (haruspex) is known from the accompanying inscription: C. FVLVIVS SALVIS HARVSPEXS D(onum) D(edit) (or D(edit) D(edicavit)) Apparently the cult statue of Hercules was found in a miracular way. Perhaps it was a statue that had been taken to Rome from Greece, but was lost near Ostia. Together with the statue a chest with oracles seems to have been found. And at some occasion the deity predicted a military victory, witness the presence of Victoria. In the mithraeum in the House of Diana an altar was reused, that might come from the temple (one fragment, already missing in antiquity, was found to the south of the Forum). On the front and one of the sides of the altar is the inscription: AQVA SALVIA HERCLI SAC The text on the front was later changed to: AQVAE SALVIAE HERCLI SAC The text could refer to a well near the temple, and there may be a connection between the expression Salvia and C. Fulvius Salvis. On the front may have been a relief of a seated male figure, largely removed when the altar was reused in the mithraeum (at that occasion a large hole was made). It may have been a depiction of Hercules. The back was decorated with an oak-wreath. The altar may have been made duri

Via Casa di Diana: There are three places of interest along this street: the House of Diana, a tavern, and stairs leading to the second floor of an apartment flat for a commanding view. The House of Diana is a great example of an insula (multi-storied tenement complex, where the lower middle-class lived). The House of Diana originally had three or four floors (reaching the 20-yard maximum height allowed by Ostia's building codes). Across the street is an inn called the Insula of the Thermopolium. Belly up to this tavern's bar. You'll see display shelves for food and drinks for sale, a small sink, and scant remains of wall paintings. Across the street, stairs lead to the top floor of the Insula of the Paintings. Climb these for a good view and a chance to imagine life as an apartment dweller in ancient Rome. Now, walk on toward the high red brick temple that marks Ostia's Forum. Text from: www.ricksteves.com/plan/destinations/italy/ostia.htm

The description of the House of Diana is rather detailed and therefore atypical for the Topographical Dictionary. We decided to go into details because the building has been preserved quite well, because the function is still being debated, and because trenches were dug recently (and we have just three HTML-pages to solve the problem). The House of Diana was excavated by Guido Calza in the years 1914-1916. The building is usually dated to the Antonine period (c. 150 AD; yellow opus latericium). Excavations in the years 1994-1997 by Alfredo Marinucci have led to many suggestions for a revision of the chronology. The final publication of these recent excavations has not yet appeared. Here the building will first be described as it appeared before Marinucci dug his trenches, following the descriptions by Calza and Packer. The building is at a higher level than the surrounding streets: Via dei Balconi to the west and Via di Diana to the south. Along the west and south facade is a sidewalk. To the east is an alley, beyond which is the Caseggiato dei Molini, to the north is the Caseggiato di Menandro. In the south-east corner of the building is a travertine staircase (1). The first ramp consists of 16 treads. Five treads of the second ramp have been preserved. Next to the staircase is the main entrance corridor (3). A room behind the staircase (2) may have been a porter’s room. Rooms 4 and 6 were shops, with backrooms 5 and 7. Above the entrances to the shops are mezzanine-windows. Above the door in the north wall of shop 4 are two windows. In the south-west corner of the same shop is a basin (opus vittatum). In the north-west corner of shop 6 the basis has been preserved (with four treads) of the ladder leading to the mezzanine. In shop 4 paintings have been preserved: on the east and west wall are white panels with red, green and yellow borders. Two of the borders frame female figures, one of these perhaps Fortuna. Another border frames a large hanging bird. Van Essen assigns these paintings to the period of Marcus Aurelius. The paintings on the west wall were later covered by red panels. In the east part of the north wall of backroom 5 is a door, the lower part of which was blocked with opus vittatum. In the west part of the same wall is a window, that was later blocked. In the north-east corner of the room is a basis of opus vittatum. In the west part of the north wall of backroom 7 is a door. In the east part of the same wall is a window, that was later blocked with vittatum. On the floor are remains of a coarse, white mosaic. On the walls are remains of paintings: red frames on a white background, containing birds, fishes, and some architectural motifs. These paintings are dated to c. 250-275 AD by Van Essen. Along Via dei Balconi are shops 8-11, 15 and 16. Mezzanine-windows have been preserved above the doors. Between shops 8 and 9 is a door. The entrance in the west wall of shop 8 was later blocked with bricks. In the western corners of shops 9, 10 and 11 brick supporting piers were later added. A door in the north wall of 11 leads to the narrow entrance corridor 12. This corridor was later almost completely filled by brick walls that reach the height of the spring of the barrel vault. On the floor is opus spicatum. Room 13 contains a travertine staircase. Treads of the second and third flight have been preserved. The understairs was reached from corridor 12. In the east wall of the understairs is a window. Passage 14 has a door leading to shop 15. In the east wall is a slit window. The entrance, from the west, was later closed with bricks. In shop 16 are remains of a floor of bipedales. We now return to the south-east corner of the building, where we find a large latrine (17). There is a drain along the east and south walls. The seats have not been preserved. The room is covered by a barrel vault. In the east wall is a window. To the west of the latrine is passage 18, covered by a barrel vault and with a floor of opus spicatum. To the north of the latrine is room 19, that once contained a wooden staircase: trace

The Christian Basilica was discovered and excavated in 1939, by Guido Calza. He found a late-antique structure (opus vittatum, opus latericium, rubble masonry), built in and on top of pre-existing, Trajanic structures (opus latericium and opus mixtum), from south to north: Caseggiato III,I,5, a row of shops. A north-west - south-east running side-street, leading to the Decumanus Maximus. A small caseggiato with a courtyard, in front of which are two shops, facing the side-street. The shops had been converted into a large hall in the third century. Rooms belonging to the Baths of the Christian Basilica (III,I,3). DESCRIPTION From the Decumanus vestibule A is reached (w. of entrance 3.48). The vestibule leads to a central "nave" (B). To the north-east of the "nave" are rooms F, G and H. These rooms originally formed part of the baths to the north-east (they had raised floors, suspensurae). In the entrance of each room are two columns and a marble threshold. On one of the columns in room F is the inscription: VOLVSIANI V(ir) C(larissimus) The column comes from the marble depot in the adjacent building, the Tempio dei Fabri Navales, where the same text was found on several columns. This Volusianus lived in the fourth or early fifth century AD. The south-west wall of the "nave" is a row of five columns. In the north-west wall are a marble threshold and step, leading to room C, that is at a lower level. In this room an apse was built. In the apse are two semicircular wall-niches for statues (starting at 1.05, average h. 2.14, d. 0.72, w. 1.35). Their position is curious. They are not positioned on the axis of the room, the "nave" and the vestibule. Instead, they are on a diagonal axis, from the south corner of the room to the point between the two niches. The floor of rooms B and C was not found by the excavators. They did find many marble fragments however. Clearly the building had been plundered. A few steps lead from room C to a small room to the north-east, flanked by two more rooms. A door in the southern room leads to the Trajanic caseggiato with courtyard (see above), of which five rooms around courtyard M were preserved. To the south-west of A and B is another "nave" (E), that was also reached from the Decumanus (w. of entrance 2.66). A door in the south-west wall leads to rooms of caseggiato III,I,5 (room N). To the north-west is room D, with an apsidal back wall. In the apse (w. 3.07) are three wall-niches (w. 1.35, 1.46 and 1.96, d. 0.48). The central one is rectangular, the flanking ones are semicircular. In each niche a basin and a hole for a water-pipe were found. A large basin (height c. 0.80) must have been standing in front of the niches, set against the entire apse. In the outside of the apse is a small rectangular wall-niche. In the south wall of the room is a small apse, with a basin. The apses and niches had marble revetment. Between the two apsidal rooms (D and C) are four columns and a doorway. In the south-eastern entrance of room D are two columns, supporting an architrave with an inscription. The architrave was found near the building. It fits perfectly on its present spot. It is made of two marble blocks and has a total length of 3.85. One of the blocks had been used as a threshold. Before that it carried an inscription. Traces of a single line, containing names, have been read: [---]S ALEXANDER [---] AMMIVS [---] IGENIVS [---] V C [---] STINIANVS On the side facing room E is an inscription, that Calza read and understood as follows: IN XP GEON FISON TIGRIS EVFRATA (palm branch) {TI}CRI[ST]IANORVM SVMITE FONTES (leaf) (so Calza suggests that the first two letters of the second line are a mistake and should be neglected). In the building the following objects were found: A mensa ponderaria (a slab with cavities to check compliancy to standard weights). A marble statue of Fortuna, found in room C. DATE OF THE BUILDING Heres has established that the last phases of the building belong to the fifth century. Most of th

Regio I - Insula XI - Basilica (I,XI,5) To the west of the south half of the Forum is a building that, because of its plan and location, can be identified as a basilica: a large, covered space that was used for economic transactions and as courthouse. We know next to nothing about trials in Ostia, but a few remarks may be helpful. Judges belonged to the local elite. We do not find the designation iudex in the careers of the notables (cursus honorum), because this work was a public duty (munus). There were no professional judges. Imprisonment was an unknown form of punishment; it is a "modern invention". In antiquity prisons were used only to lock suspects in anticipation of the trial (such a prison has not been identified in Ostia). The punishment could amount to a fine, seizure, corporal punishment, forced labour, and the death penalty. A basilica is characterized by several naves, created by long rows of columns. The central area was higher than the rest of the building, so that windows high up in the walls could light the central area. This is how we should picture the Ostian Basilica. The Basilica was excavated at least partially in the years 1802-1804. The masonry suggests a date in the period Domitian - Trajan (81-117 AD). The building was lavishly decorated with marble, most of which was robbed. Parts of columns and of the pavement remain. The building could be entered from the Decumanus Maximus via two lateral staircases, and from the Forum through a colonnade supporting arches. At the south end of the central nave are the remains of the podium used by the judges. Fragments of marble reliefs that in all probability belong to the Basilica were found on various spots in the area to the west. Depicted are stories from the early history of Rome: the she-wolf suckling the twins; geese noticing enemies trying to enter the Capitol quietly, in 390 BC; the abduction of the Sabine women; etcetera. Becatti has suggested that the reliefs formed part of a balustrade on the first upper floor in the interior of the Basilica. The reliefs and marble decoration of the colonnade along the Forum can be dated to the middle of the second century, on stylistic grounds, and were apparently added later to the building. The Fasti Ostienses - municipal annals - mention the dedication of a basilica in Ostia in 152 AD. Becatti has argued that this is the Basilica at the Forum, but most scientists agree that the basilica of the Fasti should be looked for elsewhere in the city. Text from: www.ostia-antica.org/regio1/11/11-5.htm

Regio I - Insula III - Caseggiato dei Molini (I,III,1) The excavation of the House of the Millstones was completed in the years 1913-1916, by Raffaele Finelli and Guido Calza. The building had been excavated partially in 1870 by Carlo Ludovico and Pietro Ercole Visconti. Because of political events the Visconti's could not finish the excavation. Ostia was property of the pope, but on September 20th 1870 king Victor Emanuel captured Rome. The pope retreated to the Vatican, and Ostia was from now on under the authority of the new Italian state. After the first excavations the building was named Casa di Aquilina, after a stamp on a lead water-pipe, found below the pavement of Via dei Molini. When the excavations were continued in 1913, most of the rooms that had previously been excavated had been filled with earth again. Objects found in the building were stolen twice: in 1870 and 1959. Phase 1: the Hadrianic period The building was erected in the early second century AD, during the reign of Hadrian (opus mixtum). It consisted of shops along Via dei Molini, a hall at the intersection of Via dei Molini and Via di Diana (1-3), and two halls (17-18, 19-21) and a few rooms behind the shops. In the east facade two recesses for reliefs have been preserved. One is now empty, in the other is a terracotta relief of a Genius with cornucopiae and patera, and a snake. The snake represents the Genius Loci, the protective deity of the place. Phase 2: the Antonine period In the Antonine period the House of Diana was built to the west. There was an alley between the two buildings. In the same period the House of the Millstones was modified (opus latericium). Shops 15 and 16 were built or perhaps rebuilt. Slender brick piers were set against the west and east wall in halls 17-18 and 19-21. They do not seem to have supported a roof. Room 17 seems to have been the only part of the halls that was covered, witness beamholes. Room 8 apparently had a special status. It was not accessible from the street, but received light from it through two windows. Two more recesses for (lost) reliefs were added, in the east and south facade. There are two external staircases: room 4 (already a staircase in the Hadrianic period) and room 9. The steps rested on wooden beams, fastened in small holes in the lateral walls. The first floor in the east part of the building was at a height of a little over four metres. Via di Diana was partly blocked by a short wall set against the east end of the facade. There is a pendant across the street. Phase 3: the Severan period Important structural modifications took place in the Severan period (opus latericium). Five sub-phases have been recognized. The modifications began during the reign of Septimius Severus (193-211 AD). The work was finished during the first decades of the third century. The main alteration was the raising of the level of the upper floors. A new first floor was installed at a height of c. 6 metres. The other upper floors must also have been rebuilt. This destabilized the building and counter-measures had to be taken. The new first floor was supported by arches in rooms 6, 7, 17 and 19-21. The two arches in hall 19-21 are huge. A pier in the centre of hall 17-18 must have carried beams. Staircase 9 was rebuilt. Behind the staircase a small room (11) was created. The alley was closed off at the north end by room 29, which has a barrel vault. Five piers were set against the east facade, and another five opposite these, across the street, against the Grandi Horrea. The piers obviously supported east-west running arches, and stabilized the building. Phase 4: later third century and undated alterations Some further alterations have been dated to the later third century (opus latericium and vittatum), other alterations could not be dated. Basins were installed in rooms 26 and 28. Room 27 is spanned by two high arches, that cannot be dated, even though one of the piers is Antonine. The piers further stabilized the building. Another basin was built in room 21. Seven very large windows were hac

Regio I - Insula III - Caseggiato dei Molini (I,III,1) The excavation of the House of the Millstones was completed in the years 1913-1916, by Raffaele Finelli and Guido Calza. The building had been excavated partially in 1870 by Carlo Ludovico and Pietro Ercole Visconti. Because of political events the Visconti's could not finish the excavation. Ostia was property of the pope, but on September 20th 1870 king Victor Emanuel captured Rome. The pope retreated to the Vatican, and Ostia was from now on under the authority of the new Italian state. After the first excavations the building was named Casa di Aquilina, after a stamp on a lead water-pipe, found below the pavement of Via dei Molini. When the excavations were continued in 1913, most of the rooms that had previously been excavated had been filled with earth again. Objects found in the building were stolen twice: in 1870 and 1959. Phase 1: the Hadrianic period The building was erected in the early second century AD, during the reign of Hadrian (opus mixtum). It consisted of shops along Via dei Molini, a hall at the intersection of Via dei Molini and Via di Diana (1-3), and two halls (17-18, 19-21) and a few rooms behind the shops. In the east facade two recesses for reliefs have been preserved. One is now empty, in the other is a terracotta relief of a Genius with cornucopiae and patera, and a snake. The snake represents the Genius Loci, the protective deity of the place. Phase 2: the Antonine period In the Antonine period the House of Diana was built to the west. There was an alley between the two buildings. In the same period the House of the Millstones was modified (opus latericium). Shops 15 and 16 were built or perhaps rebuilt. Slender brick piers were set against the west and east wall in halls 17-18 and 19-21. They do not seem to have supported a roof. Room 17 seems to have been the only part of the halls that was covered, witness beamholes. Room 8 apparently had a special status. It was not accessible from the street, but received light from it through two windows. Two more recesses for (lost) reliefs were added, in the east and south facade. There are two external staircases: room 4 (already a staircase in the Hadrianic period) and room 9. The steps rested on wooden beams, fastened in small holes in the lateral walls. The first floor in the east part of the building was at a height of a little over four metres. Via di Diana was partly blocked by a short wall set against the east end of the facade. There is a pendant across the street. Phase 3: the Severan period Important structural modifications took place in the Severan period (opus latericium). Five sub-phases have been recognized. The modifications began during the reign of Septimius Severus (193-211 AD). The work was finished during the first decades of the third century. The main alteration was the raising of the level of the upper floors. A new first floor was installed at a height of c. 6 metres. The other upper floors must also have been rebuilt. This destabilized the building and counter-measures had to be taken. The new first floor was supported by arches in rooms 6, 7, 17 and 19-21. The two arches in hall 19-21 are huge. A pier in the centre of hall 17-18 must have carried beams. Staircase 9 was rebuilt. Behind the staircase a small room (11) was created. The alley was closed off at the north end by room 29, which has a barrel vault. Five piers were set against the east facade, and another five opposite these, across the street, against the Grandi Horrea. The piers obviously supported east-west running arches, and stabilized the building. Phase 4: later third century and undated alterations Some further alterations have been dated to the later third century (opus latericium and vittatum), other alterations could not be dated. Basins were installed in rooms 26 and 28. Room 27 is spanned by two high arches, that cannot be dated, even though one of the piers is Antonine. The piers further stabilized the building. Another basin was built in room 21. Seven very large windows were hac

Regio I - Insula III - Caseggiato dei Molini (I,III,1) The excavation of the House of the Millstones was completed in the years 1913-1916, by Raffaele Finelli and Guido Calza. The building had been excavated partially in 1870 by Carlo Ludovico and Pietro Ercole Visconti. Because of political events the Visconti's could not finish the excavation. Ostia was property of the pope, but on September 20th 1870 king Victor Emanuel captured Rome. The pope retreated to the Vatican, and Ostia was from now on under the authority of the new Italian state. After the first excavations the building was named Casa di Aquilina, after a stamp on a lead water-pipe, found below the pavement of Via dei Molini. When the excavations were continued in 1913, most of the rooms that had previously been excavated had been filled with earth again. Objects found in the building were stolen twice: in 1870 and 1959. Phase 1: the Hadrianic period The building was erected in the early second century AD, during the reign of Hadrian (opus mixtum). It consisted of shops along Via dei Molini, a hall at the intersection of Via dei Molini and Via di Diana (1-3), and two halls (17-18, 19-21) and a few rooms behind the shops. In the east facade two recesses for reliefs have been preserved. One is now empty, in the other is a terracotta relief of a Genius with cornucopiae and patera, and a snake. The snake represents the Genius Loci, the protective deity of the place. Phase 2: the Antonine period In the Antonine period the House of Diana was built to the west. There was an alley between the two buildings. In the same period the House of the Millstones was modified (opus latericium). Shops 15 and 16 were built or perhaps rebuilt. Slender brick piers were set against the west and east wall in halls 17-18 and 19-21. They do not seem to have supported a roof. Room 17 seems to have been the only part of the halls that was covered, witness beamholes. Room 8 apparently had a special status. It was not accessible from the street, but received light from it through two windows. Two more recesses for (lost) reliefs were added, in the east and south facade. There are two external staircases: room 4 (already a staircase in the Hadrianic period) and room 9. The steps rested on wooden beams, fastened in small holes in the lateral walls. The first floor in the east part of the building was at a height of a little over four metres. Via di Diana was partly blocked by a short wall set against the east end of the facade. There is a pendant across the street. Phase 3: the Severan period Important structural modifications took place in the Severan period (opus latericium). Five sub-phases have been recognized. The modifications began during the reign of Septimius Severus (193-211 AD). The work was finished during the first decades of the third century. The main alteration was the raising of the level of the upper floors. A new first floor was installed at a height of c. 6 metres. The other upper floors must also have been rebuilt. This destabilized the building and counter-measures had to be taken. The new first floor was supported by arches in rooms 6, 7, 17 and 19-21. The two arches in hall 19-21 are huge. A pier in the centre of hall 17-18 must have carried beams. Staircase 9 was rebuilt. Behind the staircase a small room (11) was created. The alley was closed off at the north end by room 29, which has a barrel vault. Five piers were set against the east facade, and another five opposite these, across the street, against the Grandi Horrea. The piers obviously supported east-west running arches, and stabilized the building. Phase 4: later third century and undated alterations Some further alterations have been dated to the later third century (opus latericium and vittatum), other alterations could not be dated. Basins were installed in rooms 26 and 28. Room 27 is spanned by two high arches, that cannot be dated, even though one of the piers is Antonine. The piers further stabilized the building. Another basin was built in room 21. Seven very large windows were hac

Female Bust Found in Ostia (excavations by Pietro Ercole Visconti, 1856) The kind of hairstyle recalls that of Antonia Minor, mother of the emperor Claudius, and enables us to date the piece to around the third-fourth decade of the 1st century AD. Text from the Vatican Museum label.

Female Bust Found in Ostia (excavations by Pietro Ercole Visconti, 1856) The kind of hairstyle recalls that of Antonia Minor, mother of the emperor Claudius, and enables us to date the piece to around the third-fourth decade of the 1st century AD. Text from the Vatican Museum label.

The Room of the Fire in the Borgo The room was used in the time of Julius II (pontiff from 1503 to 1513) for the meetings of the highest court of the Holy See: the Segnatura Gratiae et Iustitiae, presided over by the Pope. The paintings on the ceiling, by Pietro Vannucci, called the Perugino, commissioned by the Pope in 1508, are related to this function. At the time of Leo X (pontiff from 1513 to1521) the room was used as a dining room and the task of frescoing the walls was assigned to Raphael who entrusted a large part of the work to his school. The work was completed between 1514 and 1517. The frescoes illustrate the political aspirations of Leo X through stories taken from the lives (narrated in the Liber Pontificalis) of two previous Popes with the same name: Leo III (Crowning of Charlemagne and Justification of Leo III) and Leo IV (Fire in the Borgo and the Battle of Ostia ). In all the episodes the Pope is a portrait of the reigning pontiff Leo X. Six seated figures of emperors and sovereigns who are protectors of the church are shown in the monochromes below the paintings. Text from: mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/SDR/SDR_04_SalaInce.html Battle of Ostia The Battle of Ostia, which in 849 saw the troops of Leo IV (pontiff from 847 to 855) opposed to the hordes of the Saracens, celebrates the miraculous victory of the papal armies and also refers to the crusade against the infidels encouraged by Pope Leo X (pontiff from 1513 to 1521). Text from: mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/x-Schede/SDRs/SDRs_04_04_031.html