Monday, January 31, 2022

Portus, the harbor of Trajan

I came across a reference to Trajan's port in the city of Ostia.  From Britannica:

Ostia was a port of republican Rome and a commercial centre under the empire (after 27 BCE). The Romans considered Ostia their first colony and attributed its founding (for the purpose of salt production) to their fourth king, Ancus Marcius (7th century BCE). Archaeologists have found on the site a fort of the mid-4th century BCE, but nothing older. The purpose of the fort was to protect the coastline. It was the first of the long series of Rome’s maritime colonies. When Rome developed a navy, Ostia became a naval station, and during the Punic Wars (264–201 BCE) it served as the main fleet base on the west coast of Italy. It was the major port—especially significant in grain trade—for republican Rome until its harbour, partly obstructed by a sandbar, became inadequate for large vessels. During the empire Ostia was a commercial and storage centre for Rome’s grain supplies and a service station for vessels going to Portus, the large artificial harbour built by Claudius. In 62 CE a violent storm swamped and sank some 200 ships in the harbour. Rome’s problem with sea commerce was eventually solved when Trajan added a large hexagonal basin to the harbour.

The reference I saw was to the hexagonal basin.  

This was originally on the coast but as the river Tiber has deposited silt, it is now four miles inland.  




















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The original design.














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And what it would have looked like.













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And how it appears today, inland.














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What I find truly striking is the view from satellite.











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Immediately to the north, a veritable stone's throw, of Portus, the harbor of Trajan, the harbor which connected Rome with the world, is Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, the airport which connect Rome with the world.

I m familiar with geographical determinism but this is . . . striking.  

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