Ostia Antica

If you are looking for a break from the city, consider taking a trip to Ostia Antica. The ruins of this ancient city lie twenty kilometers outside of the city and can easily be reached by taking the metro.

The city once was a thriving sea port along the Tiber River and was populated by over 100,000 people. Today, the ancient city is open to the public and many intricacies of the city can still be seen.

For example, the mosaic shown in the picture to the left can be found in the baths of the city. This mosaic has been reconstructed during the 20th century due to environmental changes causing damage. You can tell which mosaics have been reconstructed by looking at the areas between each tile. If cement is present, the mosaic has been reconstructed. The ancient Romans did not use cement to hold their mosaics together, but rather used a dirt mixture. The reconstruction of this mosaic removed all irregularities found in the initial design and removed the wear of time on the original design. To protect the designs today, water-proof coatings have been applied.

The information in proved in this blog came from the information proved on the signs in Ostia Antica.