ANCIENT ROMAN SEAPORT.

Waipa Post, Volume XIX, Issue 1074, 7 April 1921, Page 2

ANCIENT ROMAN SEAPORT.

ON THE TIBER. The Italian Government, which was honourably distinguished by its efforts to protect the monuments of its country’s art during the European war, found most useful employment for its prisoners by setting them to complete the excavation of Ostia, the seaport of ancient Rome. The result was that there has been laid bare, within 16 miles of Rome, an ancient town of far greater historic interest than Pompeii. Practically the entire area of Ostia—the theatre, forum, and two important temples—have been exposed, and one may now promenade streets which may once have echoed to the tramp of Sciopio’s legions.-

The name “Ostia” means “the river mouths” and Romans in the primitive age probably thought of it as Roma Ostia —Rome of the Estuary. It is of special interest to the political historian that Ostia, though 16 miles from Rome, was always reckoned as an integral part of the city, being included in the Palatine Region. This fact is eloquent of its position. It was not a separate city, .but that tentacle 01 early Rome which touched the sea, just as Piraeus was a tentacle of Athens. It was, it is true, some 16 miles distant from its parent city, as against less than five in the case of Athens and Piraeus, but the connection was fully as close. Ostia is said by Livy to have been founded by Ancus Martius, the fourth King of Rome (about 640-616 8.C.) There are no valid reasons for rejecting the statement, despite the curious, unimaginative scepticism of German historians. Probably what Ancus did was to enlarge and fortify an already existing village. The place lay on the edge of a salt-marsh, and can hardly ever have been very salubrious; but as the port of what was already an important city-state it had great importance. Salt works established in marsh gave its local industry, and furnished a useful commodity for exportation.

'Curiously enough, the history of Ostia does not present anything very stirring during the days of its greatness, though many famous men must have embarked or landed in its roadstead, and no doubt there were often brilliant scenes when the fleets which fought Carthage, gathered there. But the coast was steadily advancing; and there was now a delta at the mouth of the Tiber. Of the two river arms, the right-hand one—that farther from Ostia—was the deeper, and heavy ships began to use it in preference to the others The necessity of a better harbour for the African corn-ships which supplied Rome led the Emperor Claudius to build a new seaport at the head of the delta, about two miles from Old Ostia. This was known as Portus Ostiensis, or simply Portus—now Porto. Thus the importance of Ostia dwindled.

Yet, it was in its last days—indeed, in the very agony of the Empire’s dissolution—that Ostia saw its most stirring days. Between the years 535 and 550 a most extraordinary ana fluctuating contest was waged by the East Romans and Ostrogoths for the posession of Rome. At times the Romans, at others the Goths, held Rome. First the Romans held Ostia, while the Goths kept Portus; then the Romans seized Portus and the Goths captured Ostia. The river was the scene of constant fighting, a s the Byzantine fleets tried to force their wtay to Rome, and the Goths to prevent them. On one occasion the Goths blocked the river by a boom and wooden forts; but two Byzantine ships sent by the great General Belisarious, s'ailed up the stream abreast, supporting on their masts a cross-yard, from which hung a boat filled with combustibles. They drove into the boom, lowered their boat-load of incendiary matter, (and burned it to ashes. This was one • incident of many, but the long struggle marked the final ruin of Ostia, and it dwindled into an almost deserted ruin on the edge of the fever-haunted Campagna. To-day there are only a few scores of inhabitants in the village alongside the ruins of ancient Rome’s seaport.