Ostia Antica
the first-year seminarians went away on retreat this weekend, so Nick had Saturday completely free and we decided to make the most of it with a trip to see the ancient ruins of the port town of Ostia Antica. once again, we ran into difficulties with the bus system. there's supposed to be a bus that runs directly to the metro station at Piramide where we would catch the commuter train to Ostia Antica, but we got tired of waiting and hopped on a 64 bus to Termini (the central bus/train station). the 64 bus is notoriously crowded and full of tourists and pickpockets, as it travels between most of the main sights of the city, but Greta was lucky enough to get a seat and we were off for the twenty-five minute ride to Termini. immediately upon getting settled, Nick went to validate our ticket at the machine at the rear of the bus, but it wasn't accepting tickets. i had just seen another woman try unsuccessfully to validate her ticket in the machine at the front of the bus, so i told him that wasn't working either. the woman said something in Italian to a younger woman sitting near the machine and they both shook their heads and laughed like "what can you do?". well, i know what you're supposed to do. you're supposed to go tell the bus driver and have him initial your ticket so it's clear you aren't just trying to get a free ride. but no one else seemed to be worried about it. maybe if the machine is broken they don't care too much about it, since it technically is a machine failure on their part, and i told Nick, "i guess we'll be fine as long as an official doesn't come by checking tickets" (which hadn't happened on any of the bus or train rides we had taken so far).
well, dear reader, you can guess what happened next. the bus had just pulled up to the Termini stop and we were preparing to disembark, when a uniformed officer began walking down the rows asking to see everyone's ticket. most of the other people had had stamped tickets from a previous bus ride, so they were in the clear. (that first woman who never stamped her ticket had gotten off the bus several stops prior.) when Nick showed him our blank tickets and explained that the machine was broken, the official looked at us with a combination of disgust and disappointed incredulity. it was like the look your mother gives you after you get caught sneaking another cookie after being expressly forbidden to eat any more. he asked for our ID and explained that the fine was €50 per person if paid on the spot or €100 per person if you didn't have sufficient cash and had to pay at the bus station. this is all exactly what it states clearly on the bus website, and what i had read in numerous tourist guides. it sucked, but it's the rule. Nick and i each unhappily pulled out a €50 bill from our respective wallets, but he only took one of the bills and waved at me to put mine back in my wallet. it still stung to pay €50 for a trip that should have cost €3 ... but i was grateful he didn't charge us the full fine! we got off the bus and were composing ourselves when the official motioned to Nick to come back aboard, demonstrating to him how to validate the ticket ... in the machine that still didn't work. so he just waved Nick back off the bus, probably adding us to the list of dumb American tourists he encounters on a daily basis.
feeling thoroughly chastened, we descended into the bowels of Termini metro station and boarded the next B line train toward Piramide, where we transferred to the Roma-Lido train and settled in for the 30 minute ride toward the coast. the girls devoured the small container of chocolate chip cookies (more like biscuits) i brought, as well as half a bag of gummy sharks. (my usual go-to snacks in a situation like this would be more protein-based, like string cheese, but the closest thing i've found in an Italian grocery store is little single-serve squares of legit, hard Parmesan cheese and i don't think the girls are ready for that just yet.)
by the time we arrived at the darling Ostia Antica station, we had recovered our spirits. i've never seen a cuter train station in my life. it even has a little rooftop garden. there was also a helpful map to direct us from the station to the site of the archaeological excavations, a five-minute walk away.
our first order of business was to get lunch. we were pleasantly surprised by the variety offered at the cafeteria within the park, but the most economical choice just happened to be the delicious panini.
well-satiated, we began our proper visit to the site by exploring the small museum, which houses the sculptures that were excavated from the town. many of them date from the second and third centuries A.D. Greta loudly asked why the statues were all "naked and didn't have undies", and i stifled a laugh and did my best to explain the artistic rationale.
we then headed back outside to explore the ruins. thanks to Rick Steves' free Audio Europe podcast, i had downloaded his 30-minute self-guided tour of the ruins so we could meander around at our own pace. initially this town was a bustling sea-port, but due to silting from the mouth of the Tiber River (Ostia means mouth), the town now lies 2 miles inland. based on an inscription, the oldest section of the town appears to date back to the 7th century B.C.
the weather was absolutely gorgeous -- low 80s with a fresh breeze off the coast. the wind tousled the branches of the umbrella pines and we marveled as we walked along the ancient roads. interspersed among the sculptures and buildings, the incongruous sight of brightly colored modern art pieces made us laugh, and sigh, and feel like maybe Americans aren't the only dumb ones sometimes.
we started our tour in the area of the old mills. it's fascinating to be able to walk through the buildings and touch the walls. a few areas are roped off, but the whole site is much more hands-on than i would have imagined.
next, we turned down the via della Casa di Diana, which has some of the best preserved buildings of the town. the tavern in particular is remarkably unchanged, including the bar, shelves, and original mosaic floors.
we then crossed the street to explore an old apartment. the view from the top gave us a much better sense of the town's impressive size.
our next stop was the ancient forum and Capitolium (a temple dedicated to the Capitoline gods, Jupiter, Juno and Minerva). on the other side of the forum, only the sub-structure of the temple to Roma and Augustus remains.
the Forum baths were a bit difficult to navigate. we saw some smaller baths, but a whole section in this area was roped off and i can only assume that that's where the larger baths are. (not to worry -- the Baths of Neptune we saw later did not disappoint!) however, we were privileged to see one of the public latrines.
we explored the exercise field behind the baths, and then continued exploring the residential section of the town. the mosaic floors are incredibly well preserved. in a way, it felt wrong to walk on them; on the other hand, it's a testament to how well made they are.
our next stop was the amphitheater. walking through the arched entryway, you can see the layers of stucco the ancient Romans used to mold detailed images.
the theater originally had a wall behind the stage, but even without it, the acoustics within the shell are remarkable.
the square of the guilds lies immediately across from the theater. this huge square is lined with a perimeter of mosaic floors, and you can just imagine each vendor's stall and the hustle and bustle of a market. many of the mosaics reference shipping and grain (the primary import).
we explored some more residential areas before climbing up the steps to look down into the Baths of Neptune.
we then saw the original city gate, the Porta Romana, which dates to the first century B.C. not to be outdone by this two thousand-year-old handiwork, there stands a gigantic blue cat for reasons i can only imagine.
we ended our tour by passing the necropolis, the cemetery which, in accordance with Roman law, sat outside the city proper.
and that concluded our tour! i highly recommend Ostia Antica to anyone looking for an easy trip from Rome. there were very few other tourists, and there are some who say this site is even better preserved than Pompeii. i still would like to see Pompeii, of course, but this was a much easier trip (40 minutes from downtown Rome to Ostia Antica compared to at least 90 minutes to Pompeii).
we filled up our water bottle at the fontanella just outside the park. i've already come to rely on these for ice cold, delicious water. the girls take full advantage, too.
ready to rest our legs for a bit, we caught the train back to the Piramide metro stop and walked up to the street to find the bus stop to take us the rest of the way home. what we found, in fact, were about ten bus stops in view, and none of them for the bus we wanted. an Aussie guardian angel overheard us discussing it and asked, "are you looking for the number 23 bus? it's just down there -- i'll show you" and she led us around the corner and across the street to a stop we definitely would not have found on our own. we had a lovely view of the Pyramid of Cestius (which lends its name to this area), built in 12 B.C. as a tomb for the magistrate Gaius Cestius.
the bus eventually came and Greta spent the whole ride looking every inch the busy career woman on her (pretend) mobile phone, keeping up an eloquent dialogue in Italian-esque gibberish.
home at last, we relaxed for the rest of the evening. dinner was homemade pizza with a green salad (tossed with lemon vinaigrette). no picture, since it looked identical to the first pizza i made here ... and i'm pleased to say the recipe must be foolproof, because it was delicious in spite of lots of "help"!
well, dear reader, you can guess what happened next. the bus had just pulled up to the Termini stop and we were preparing to disembark, when a uniformed officer began walking down the rows asking to see everyone's ticket. most of the other people had had stamped tickets from a previous bus ride, so they were in the clear. (that first woman who never stamped her ticket had gotten off the bus several stops prior.) when Nick showed him our blank tickets and explained that the machine was broken, the official looked at us with a combination of disgust and disappointed incredulity. it was like the look your mother gives you after you get caught sneaking another cookie after being expressly forbidden to eat any more. he asked for our ID and explained that the fine was €50 per person if paid on the spot or €100 per person if you didn't have sufficient cash and had to pay at the bus station. this is all exactly what it states clearly on the bus website, and what i had read in numerous tourist guides. it sucked, but it's the rule. Nick and i each unhappily pulled out a €50 bill from our respective wallets, but he only took one of the bills and waved at me to put mine back in my wallet. it still stung to pay €50 for a trip that should have cost €3 ... but i was grateful he didn't charge us the full fine! we got off the bus and were composing ourselves when the official motioned to Nick to come back aboard, demonstrating to him how to validate the ticket ... in the machine that still didn't work. so he just waved Nick back off the bus, probably adding us to the list of dumb American tourists he encounters on a daily basis.
feeling thoroughly chastened, we descended into the bowels of Termini metro station and boarded the next B line train toward Piramide, where we transferred to the Roma-Lido train and settled in for the 30 minute ride toward the coast. the girls devoured the small container of chocolate chip cookies (more like biscuits) i brought, as well as half a bag of gummy sharks. (my usual go-to snacks in a situation like this would be more protein-based, like string cheese, but the closest thing i've found in an Italian grocery store is little single-serve squares of legit, hard Parmesan cheese and i don't think the girls are ready for that just yet.)
by the time we arrived at the darling Ostia Antica station, we had recovered our spirits. i've never seen a cuter train station in my life. it even has a little rooftop garden. there was also a helpful map to direct us from the station to the site of the archaeological excavations, a five-minute walk away.
 |
| an idiot-proof walking path to the archaeological site |
our first order of business was to get lunch. we were pleasantly surprised by the variety offered at the cafeteria within the park, but the most economical choice just happened to be the delicious panini.
 |
| what's not to love?! |
well-satiated, we began our proper visit to the site by exploring the small museum, which houses the sculptures that were excavated from the town. many of them date from the second and third centuries A.D. Greta loudly asked why the statues were all "naked and didn't have undies", and i stifled a laugh and did my best to explain the artistic rationale.
 |
| scandal at the museum (thankfully she did not ask about the head he is carrying) |
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| Minerva |
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| the god Mithras slaying the bull |
we then headed back outside to explore the ruins. thanks to Rick Steves' free Audio Europe podcast, i had downloaded his 30-minute self-guided tour of the ruins so we could meander around at our own pace. initially this town was a bustling sea-port, but due to silting from the mouth of the Tiber River (Ostia means mouth), the town now lies 2 miles inland. based on an inscription, the oldest section of the town appears to date back to the 7th century B.C.
the weather was absolutely gorgeous -- low 80s with a fresh breeze off the coast. the wind tousled the branches of the umbrella pines and we marveled as we walked along the ancient roads. interspersed among the sculptures and buildings, the incongruous sight of brightly colored modern art pieces made us laugh, and sigh, and feel like maybe Americans aren't the only dumb ones sometimes.
we started our tour in the area of the old mills. it's fascinating to be able to walk through the buildings and touch the walls. a few areas are roped off, but the whole site is much more hands-on than i would have imagined.
next, we turned down the via della Casa di Diana, which has some of the best preserved buildings of the town. the tavern in particular is remarkably unchanged, including the bar, shelves, and original mosaic floors.
we then crossed the street to explore an old apartment. the view from the top gave us a much better sense of the town's impressive size.
our next stop was the ancient forum and Capitolium (a temple dedicated to the Capitoline gods, Jupiter, Juno and Minerva). on the other side of the forum, only the sub-structure of the temple to Roma and Augustus remains.
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| Capitolium, at the north end of the Forum |
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| Temple to Roma and Augustus, at the south end of the Forum |
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| sculptures and friezes preserved from the temple |
the Forum baths were a bit difficult to navigate. we saw some smaller baths, but a whole section in this area was roped off and i can only assume that that's where the larger baths are. (not to worry -- the Baths of Neptune we saw later did not disappoint!) however, we were privileged to see one of the public latrines.
we explored the exercise field behind the baths, and then continued exploring the residential section of the town. the mosaic floors are incredibly well preserved. in a way, it felt wrong to walk on them; on the other hand, it's a testament to how well made they are.
our next stop was the amphitheater. walking through the arched entryway, you can see the layers of stucco the ancient Romans used to mold detailed images.
the theater originally had a wall behind the stage, but even without it, the acoustics within the shell are remarkable.
 |
| we discovered that the sunshade keeps Cece's head from falling backward when she's dead asleep |
 |
| someone woke up and wanted to join the party |
the square of the guilds lies immediately across from the theater. this huge square is lined with a perimeter of mosaic floors, and you can just imagine each vendor's stall and the hustle and bustle of a market. many of the mosaics reference shipping and grain (the primary import).
 |
| a small temple sits in the middle of the square; behind the temple, you can see the theater |
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| Ferme di Nettuno - the baths of Neptune |
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| looking down into the network of baths |
we then saw the original city gate, the Porta Romana, which dates to the first century B.C. not to be outdone by this two thousand-year-old handiwork, there stands a gigantic blue cat for reasons i can only imagine.
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| remains of the Porta Romana |
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| one of these things is not like the others |
we ended our tour by passing the necropolis, the cemetery which, in accordance with Roman law, sat outside the city proper.
and that concluded our tour! i highly recommend Ostia Antica to anyone looking for an easy trip from Rome. there were very few other tourists, and there are some who say this site is even better preserved than Pompeii. i still would like to see Pompeii, of course, but this was a much easier trip (40 minutes from downtown Rome to Ostia Antica compared to at least 90 minutes to Pompeii).
we filled up our water bottle at the fontanella just outside the park. i've already come to rely on these for ice cold, delicious water. the girls take full advantage, too.
ready to rest our legs for a bit, we caught the train back to the Piramide metro stop and walked up to the street to find the bus stop to take us the rest of the way home. what we found, in fact, were about ten bus stops in view, and none of them for the bus we wanted. an Aussie guardian angel overheard us discussing it and asked, "are you looking for the number 23 bus? it's just down there -- i'll show you" and she led us around the corner and across the street to a stop we definitely would not have found on our own. we had a lovely view of the Pyramid of Cestius (which lends its name to this area), built in 12 B.C. as a tomb for the magistrate Gaius Cestius.
the bus eventually came and Greta spent the whole ride looking every inch the busy career woman on her (pretend) mobile phone, keeping up an eloquent dialogue in Italian-esque gibberish.
home at last, we relaxed for the rest of the evening. dinner was homemade pizza with a green salad (tossed with lemon vinaigrette). no picture, since it looked identical to the first pizza i made here ... and i'm pleased to say the recipe must be foolproof, because it was delicious in spite of lots of "help"!
What a wonderful day! I never tire of seeing the ruins, it is just amazing how ancient the civilization is! A note on transportation, we bought some kind of metro pass when I was a student, at a kind of post office booth in Termini. I don’t remember the cost, but it was good for bus and subway for three months, and you only had to validate it once, the day you buy it. Might be worth checking out! Sarah Duffy
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sarah! Yes, they have weekly, monthly & annual passes here. I haven't seen a 3 month option but the monthly pass may be worth it for us! And I agree -- there is just so much to explore. The area near the Forum is amazing too since there are so many layers of civilization built on top of one another!
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