Porta Marina

Panel 89 - Location

The Porta Marina, whose remains are now visible beneath the current level of the Decumanus, formed part of Ostia’s Republican wall circuit, built in around the mid-1st century BC.

Panel 89 - Figure 1Reconstruction of the route of the Republican walls
(A. Pascolini)

The gate, which opened in the direction of the ancient beach, was flanked by two square towers; these projected markedly and were further reinforced with a facing in tufa blocks, since the side facing the sea was the most vulnerable to attack.

In the Imperial period, when the gate had fallen into disuse, one of the two towers was occupied by the Caupona di Alexander e Helix.

Panel 89 - Figure 2View of the Decumanus near Porta Marina

See also:

The Coastal Districts and the Maritime Domus