Needing to be Struck by Cupid's Arrow?

Let’s heat up this chilly day with a trip to Ostia Antica just outside Rome! Ostia, about 15 miles south of  Rome was a harbour town controlling the mouth of the Tiber, a military camp and trading post. The earliest finds date back to 4 BC, and in its heyday Ostia housed 50,000 inhabitants. I headed off by train from the centre of Rome for 1.50€ to the station at Ostia Antica, where you then cross a footbridge to find yourself standing in a Roman town! Truly amazing, like time travel! This is the fabulous theatre in Ostia. 

Houses, shops, numerous bath houses, tombs, pubs, public loos, you name it, it’s all there! 

After following in the footsteps of ancient Romans for a couple of hours I needed a break to sketch and collect my thoughts, this is the ''House of Amor and Psyche'', named after the statue of Cupid that was found there, you can see (a replica) of the cute snogging couple in my sketch and the background. 

As I was virtually alone here, I could peruse at leisure although I found the dimensions of the town mind boggling. Mosaics, murals; lots to see and take in, only the roofs were missing, I was indeed a time traveller. 

Look at these magnificent mosaics, and here is a mural from the plunge pool in the baths, on the one hand amazing to think I am looking at the work of another artist that is 2000 years old, but partially distressing as many of the murals are exposed to the elements. You could sense how busy the town must’ve been and just imagine Roman soldiers patrolling, housewives buying at the market and the baths full of people enjoying a relaxing bath and massage. Ostia Antica is a huge time capsule, so glad that I was able to visit it! If you do go, don’t forget to take plenty to drink, comfortable, hardy shoes and sunscreen, the park covers 173 acres. 

While you are meandering through the ruins of this once busy port, let your imagination run wild and show you the town as it was 2000 years ago and give Marcus Agrippa a wave while he is inspecting the building of his theatre in 12BC.