Ostia Antica

Today we got the train to Ostia Antica, the ancient port of Rome on the mouth of the Tiber. It is a complete Roman town that was a naval base and the main port of entry for goods and commodities from across the Roman Empire. The ruins are extensive; the site covers 1.2 square miles and as befits a port there are all the buildings you would expect to see; warehouses, bars, fast food shops, large houses and lots of flats and small accommodation, as well as religious sites of several different faiths. The picture is of the well preserved theatre, which looks out onto the Square of the Corporations, where all the different Guilds and Trade Associations were based. Although not as large as Pompeii you still get a good impression of what life in a working Roman town was like.

The apartment we have is so nice that we have spent a few evenings in and eating lightly, which we felt the need for after the amount we had last week in the hotel. Tonight when we got back we freshened up and went out for an early drink, and on the way bumped into a friend of ours from back home! It's a small world.