Ostia Antica

There's a town just outside of Rome called Ostia Antica. It was a village sometime in between 1000 and 700 BC, but then later grew to be a city. Now it is a large complex, a whole town's worth, of archaeological ruins. We visited there in on a beautiful day in July.



As we walked through the grass and wildflowers that grow around the ruins, our feet crushed wild mint, releasing its fragrance into the air. I wish there was a way to post that pleasant smell on the internet to share it with you! Oh well, guess we'll just have to share photos instead.

The amphitheater is still in use. Concerts are held there during the summer.



Walls of many buildings are still standing, 2000+ years after they were built. There are also still floor mosaics, although most have been reconstructed.



This one depicts Neptune and his team of seahorses, as well as other sea creatures.



We happened to come across the secret room where they store their spare capitals.



The public latrine featured rows of seats. The hole beneath each seat was to allow space for the user to insert a sponge-on-a-stick for wiping. Apparently these were reused by all -- ick. However, it is impressive to know that the toilets did flush. Water from an aqueduct flowed continuously through to wash away waste.