In the third century BC Ostia was primarily a naval base. In 267 BC it became the seat of one of the quaestores classici (officials taking care of the fleet), the quaestor Ostiensis. The office was related to the Punic wars, with Carthago. Ostia now played an important role as military harbour.

In the second century BC Ostia gradually changed to a commercial harbour. The population of the city of Rome was growing after military successes. Grain was imported from Sicily and Sardinia, later also from Africa, that became a province in 146 BC. The quaestor now supervised the import of grain. The responsabilities made the office unpopular. In 104 BC it was held by Saturninus, who was replaced by M. Aemilius Scaurus. In the second or early first century BC the north-east part of Ostia, along the Tiber, was marked as public ground (i.e. reserved for Rome) by C. Caninius, praetor urbanus (i.e. from Rome). Little is known about the settlement in this period, because Ostia was almost entirely rebuilt in the second century AD. There must have been many shops, where food and beverages were sold, necessary for the voyage from Ostia to other harbours.

OSTIA.

Overall site of Ostia

The area above is the only part of Ostia we had time to explore.

Due to only having a couple of hours before the site is closed we were unable to explore further unfortunately. I recommend anyone visiting the area to arrive early, and be prepared to spend a large part of the day there.Take a supply of water and something to eat with you.

Just inside entrance to Ostia.