Ostia Antica - Minerva as Victory
by Debra Martz
Title
Ostia Antica - Minerva as Victory
Artist
Debra Martz
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Ostia Antica - Minerva as Victory by Debra Martz
(Ostia Antica ruins are located just out of Rome and easily accessed by train)
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A statue of the winged Minerva-Victoria, found on the nearby Piazzale della Vittoria, formed part of the decoration of the upper part just inside the entrance. Minerva was the favorite goddess of Domitian.
The oldest ruins that have been found in Ostia are those of the so called Castrum. It was a rectangular, military fortress (194 x 125.7 meters), with walls of large tuff blocks. Remains of the walls have been found around the later Forum. The Castrum seems to have been built in the early 3rd century BC.
In the 2nd century BC, Ostia gradually changed to a commercial harbor. The population of the city of Rome was growing after military successes. Little is known about the settlement in this period, because Ostia was almost entirely rebuilt in the second century AD. Under Domitian (81-96 AD) the level of Ostia was raised about one meter whenever new buildings were erected, probably to protect them from Tiber floods. In 42 AD Claudius - a frequent visitor of Ostia - started the construction of an artificial harbor, Portus, a few kilometers to the north of Ostia. The addition of the harbour district led to a building boom and great prosperity in Ostia. Most of the buildings that have been excavated were built in the first half of the 2nd century AD.
In the second half of the 3rd and in the 4th century Ostia and Portus were struck by earthquakes and tsunamis. The first seem to have taken place in 238 AD other evidence points to an earthquake documented in Rome in 346 AD which may also have damaged the harbors. Ostia was from now on primarily a pleasant living environment. Many expensive habitations were built from the later 3rd until the first quarter of the 5th century. This was followed by a phase of crisis and recession and finally abandoned between the 9th and 10th centuries.
The first scientifically motivated excavations were carried out in the 19th century but most was conducted in the first half of the 20th century. The ancient ruins cover an area of about 34 hectares (84 acres) which is about two thirds of the original city.
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This image is copyright of Debra Martz. All associated rights are reserved. Copying, altering, displaying or redistributing these images without the expressed written permission from me is strictly prohibited.
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Uploaded
March 25th, 2015
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Comments (34)
Debra Martz
Tina M Wenger featured this artwork in the group Artists Best Five Artworks...............(Thank you very much for the feature!)