A Tale of Two Ports: Portus I and Portus II

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A Tale of Two Ports Portus I and Portus II
The Torlonia Relief from Portus

• Dr. Kristian Lorenzo

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Happy Thanksgiving and Be Safe!
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A Tale of Two Ports Todays Topics
Julius Caesar Ostia Claudius Portus 1 The
Lighthouse Trajan Portus II Portus III-IV And
Ships Too!
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A Tale of Two Ports Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar originally planned to build a an
enclosed harbor 2 miles north of Ostia
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Ostia
A city located at the mouth of the Tiber and
inhabited from the late 4th century BC until it
was abandoned in the 5th century AD.
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Ostia
Heavily involved with Romes naval history,
commerce and communications as a place to control
river access to the city of Rome, its arsenal or
Navalia and its wharves for travelers, traders
and military personnel
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Ostia
Very important but really only a way-station on
the route up the Tiber until its abandonment in
the 5th century AD after which drifting sands
from coastal dunes covers it and the area is
sparsely populated due to malaria
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Ostia
Due to the sands from coastal dunes covering it
and the malaria Ostia is very well preserved and,
therefore, a very important archaeological site.
An apartment block
A public latrine
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Ostia
Due to the sands from coastal dunes covering it
and the malaria Ostia is very well preserved and,
therefore, a very important archaeological site.
Black and White mosaics
Cut stone, opus sectile, floors
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Ostia
While very important cannot compete with the
ports of Campania which were unrivaled until the
reign of the Emperor Claudius (AD 41-54) and his
construction of an artificial harbor, Portus 1.
Baiae
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A Tale of Two Ports Claudius
Claudius (AD 41-54) the 4th emperor of the
Julio-Claudian dynasty built the palace and
nymphaeum at Baiae, completed Julius Caesars
conquest of Britain and established the
artificial harbor, Portus I
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A Tale of Two Ports Portus1
Because the waters of Ostia are difficult and
insecure and to provide a better entry port for
Romes grain supply, Claudius establishes a port
Portus I, 2 miles north of Ostia with a large
basin and limited infrastructure.
Large basin
Small Basin
Northern Artificial Mole Lighthouse Southern Art
ificial Mole
Tiber
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A Tale of Two Ports Portus1
The Emperor Nero subsequently inaugurates Portus
I. He has coins minted depicting Portus I. The
south (left) and north mole on a coin of Nero
from 64 AD.
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A Tale of Two Ports Portus1
The large basin covered 200 hectares and was
connected to the Tiber by two large canals which
are not shown on this plan. The canals enabled
cargoes from ships arriving at Portus to be moved
upriver to Rome in boats, and enabled flood
control.
Large basin
Small Basin
Northern Artificial Mole Lighthouse Southern Art
ificial Mole
Tiber
Aqueduct
Imperial Marble Yards
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A Tale of Two Ports Portus1
Aerial view of the Claudian basin looking
northwards, with the Claudian basin in the middle
background and part of Trajans Portus II in the
near background.
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A Tale of Two Ports the Lighthouse
The lighthouse was on top of an isolated mole.
Apparently part of the foundation of the
lighthouse consisted of a huge ship, which
Caligula used to carry an obelisk from Egypt to
Rome. But there is no evidence beyond 3 ancient
authors saying so!
Three Funerary Slabs on which the lighthouse is
depicted.
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A Tale of Two Ports the Lighthouse
Suetonius (Life of Claudius Ch. 20) states that
Claudius built his lighthouse in imitation of the
Pharos of Alexandria.
The lighthouse or Pharos of Alexandria, on a
coin of the Emperor Domitian (AD 81-96).
Claudiuss lighthouse in a mosaic from the House
of the Mosaic at Ostia.
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A Tale of Two Ports Trajan
Trajan (AD 98-117) became emperor through
adoption by his imperial predecessor Nerva (AD
96-98). Trajan conquered Dacia (modern Romania),
built Trajans Column and built the artificial
harbor, Portus II.
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A Tale of Two Ports Portus II
Trajan, ca. AD 110-117, enlarged Portus I by
constructing a hexagonal basin. He surrounded it
with major new buildings, including a temple and
precinct, an Imperial Palace and associated
administrative buildings, a possible shipbuilding
area and many warehouses. 
Canals
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A Tale of Two Ports Portus II
This enlarged port complex was connected both to
the Tiber by one new canal, and to Rome by an
extension of a road. Its connection to Ostia was
also enhanced with a new canal heading southwards
across the Sacred Island.
Canals
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A Tale of Two Ports Portus II
Trajans hexagonal basin and surrounded
structures, including a temple and precinct, an
Imperial Palace and associated administrative
buildings, a possible shipbuilding area and many
warehouses. 
Portus I, the Claudian harbor
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A Tale of Two Ports Portus II
Aerial view of Trajans hexagonal basin, together
with the remains of its associated warehouses and
other buildings.
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A Tale of Two Ports Portus III-IV
Portus III (late 2nd-early 3rd cent. AD)saw
renewed construction of buildings and alterations
to existing complexes. Portus IV (late 5th cent.
AD) saw the construction of a fortification wall.
Hypothetical extent of wall circuit
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A Tale of Two Ports and Ships Too!
In 2011, during construction work between Ostia
and Fiumicino International Airport a ship was
found at a depth of 14 feet (1st cent. BC-1st
cent. AD).
Clay
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A Tale of Two Ports and Ships Too!
Measuring 33 feet (11 meters) in length, the ship
is the largest ever excavated near the ruins of
Ostia.
Clay
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A Tale of Two Ports and Ships Too!
The wood and other organic parts of the ship are
intact due to being encased in a layer of clay.
An archaeologist using a wet paint brush to
slowly remove the last layers of clay encasing
ancient Roman ropes from the ship.
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A Tale of Two Ports and Ships Too!
An archaeologist using a wet paint brush to
slowly removed the last layers of clay over an
ancient Roman ship which sunk in Claudiuss.
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A Tale of Two Ports and Ships Too!
In the 1950s, several Roman ships, now housed in
the Museum of Roman Ships at Ostia, were
discovered during the construction of the
Fiumicino Airport.
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A Tale of Two Ports and Ships Too!
Inside the Museum of Roman Ships are the remains
of 5 different ships, all found in the area of
Claudiuss Portus I.
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A Tale of Two Ports and Ships Too!
Fiumicino Ship 2 is a tow boat used on the Tiber
river to transport grain, oil, etc up to Rome.
This identification is based on the general
structure of the hull, with the curved stern and
the elongated stem
Vatican Fresco
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A Tale of Two Ports and Ships Too!
Fiumicino Ship 5 is a unique example of a
fishing boat. This identification is based on the
general structure of the hull and the presence of
a well positioned in the middle of the boat.
This is an aquarium-container used to keep fish
fresh until sold.
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A Tale of Two Ports and Ships Too!
Fiumicino Ship 5s well positioned in the
middle of the boat. This is an aquarium-container
which was used to keep fish fresh until the catch
was sold.
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Importance
Portus I was originally used primarily as an
anchorage to supplement the commercial capacity
of nearby Ostia Portus II allowed closer control
of the supply of food and other material to Rome
as well as providing infrastructure for the
repair of military or commercial ships
Overall gave Rome a nearby protected entry port
for both necessary and luxury goods lessened the
importance of ports in Campania caused a great
influx of money, material and population into
Ostia and the area north of Ostia
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A Tale of Two Ports Portus II
Trajans hexagonal basin and surrounding
structures 
Portus I, the Claudian harbor
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A Tale of Two Ports the Lighthouse
A relief depicting the lighthouse on a block of
Tufa.