The Scavi and Ostia Antica

It appears that living in Roma for the summer has more advantages than the usual endless consumption of vino, pasta, pizza, and gelati; there is also ample opportunity to check out some amazing history. I was fortunate enough to get a ticket to visit the Necropolis that has been excavated under St. Peter’s Basilica. . . you know the one with the tomb of St. Peter!!!! Getting this ticket is no small feat. Because they only let 150 people a day into the scavi, you have to contact the office, tell them a range of dates you are available and then they will email you back with your assigned day and time. If you can make, great; if not, well too bad. When I got home from Como last Friday, my ticket had been assigned for the next morning at 9:30am.

The ticket into the Scavi includes a guided tour of only 10 people in your language of choice. Our guide was fabulously dramatic in her presentation of all the historical and religious information. The place is so deep down in the ground under St. Peter’s that the humidity is about 1000%. It was cool, but my face was totally wet because of the air. I was just awestruck that so many of the frescoes, sarcophagi, funeral urns, and tile work were still in tact. Many of the crypts were pagan and dated well before Christ. And seeing the “Graffitti Wall” that intersects the place where St. Peter was buried was truly a highlight. Unfortunately, they are military strict on their rules about taking photos and video, so I’ve had to “borrow” published photos from the web. Mi dispiace!

part of a street in the Necropolis, original bricks!

the entrance down into the scavi. . . it was very tight

one of the tombs

St. Peter's after the scavi tour

I also took advantage of Rome’s proximity to one of the best preserved ancient cities, Ostia Antica. In addition to location, I also took advantage of the blistering ass heat and humidity of a Roman summer, and went on one of the hottest days of the summer. I never claimed to have the most common sense. Anyway, it was well worth my almost deadly dehydration and heat exhaustion; the place is fantastic!

Ostia was founded by the Romans in the 4th century BC and was originally a major port, strategic, and defense town. Barbarian invasions and that pesky disease malaria caused the city to be abandoned in the 5th century AD. Flooding and changes in the river caused the city to be buried, up to 2nd floor levels, in river silt. Its been mostly excavated and is really in great shape, for ruins. There are still very obvious remains of a bar/restaurant, laundries, public toilets, baths, houses, shops, and an amiptheater. Lots of the mosaic floors are also intact.

Rome's official slogan

the road leading from the Necropolis into the city

a mosaic in the Terme di Nettuno

the forica, public toilets, still pretty much exactly as they were a gazillion years ago!

Palaestra, used for training athletes

ampitheater buildt by Agrippa, can hold 3000 people

ampitheater

pretty much just like today, a view from the street into the Thermopolium a shop that sold hot food and drink. The main bar is right at the entrance, the arch in it is where a wash basin is for glasses.

inside the Thermopolium. There is still a fresco with menu items on the wall

outside the bar/restaurant was a courtyard with tables surrounding a fountain. So very civilized.

one of the few buildings with both stories left intact

the bakery

dirty dirty ruins