Portus - The buildings and structures to the south of the Fossa Traiani

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The buildings and structures to the south of the Fossa Traiani
Basilica of S. Hippolytus
This Christian edifice is on the left side of the Fossa Traiani, on the Isola Sacra. It was built at the site of the tomb of the martyr Hippolytus, who died in Portus (he was drowned in a well in front of the city wall). Before the basilica was built, the area was occupied by baths, and later by tombs. An inscription mentions a rebuilding of the basilica at the end of the fourth century, by bishop Heraclida of Portus. In 455 AD it was set on fire by the Vandals, who destroyed Portus (an inscription informs us that the Vandalica rabies hanc ussit martyris aulam, quam Petrus antistes cultu meliore novatam). It was rebuilt again at an unknown date, and received donations from bishop Stephanus and pope Leo III, c. 800 AD, and from pope Leo IV half a century later. Below the altar a sarcophagus was found with the bones of several individuals, and the inscription Hic requiescit Ypolitus mar(tyr). It belongs to the ninth century. The campanile was added in the twelfth century.
Baths
To the north-west of the Basilica of S. Hippolytus baths were found. They were built in the second century (opus mixtum), rebuilt in the fourth or fifth century, and used until c. 550 AD.
Pons Matidiae
To the north of the baths, part of the road that connected Ostia and Portus was found. It is 10.50 metres wide, with a paved side for wagons and an unpaved side for pedestrians. It was built in the later first century AD and called Via Flavia, after a Flavian Emperor or Constantine. Here an inscription was found that mentions a bridge over the Fossa Traiani, the Pons Matidiae. Matidia was a niece of Trajan. She may have owned property on either side of the bridge. A few remains of the bridge have been found. It reached the north bank 50 metres to the east of the north-south channel leading to Trajan's basin. The upper part was probably made of wood. It was rebuilt by Theodosius and Honorius (412-423 AD), after it had been destroyed by fire (probably in 408 AD by Alaric and the Goths). It was rebuilt again by a Praefectus Annonae in the fifth century, after it had collapsed (vetustate lapsum; AE 1975, 44-45 nrs. 137-138). These are the texts on the two sides of the same stone:

D(ominis) N(ostris duobus) INVICTISSIMVS PRINCIPI(bus) FLAVIIS HONORIO ET
THEODOSIO PIIS FELICIB(us) VICTORIB(us) AC TRIVMFATORIB(us) SEMP(er) AVG(ustis)
PONTEM MATIDIAE TRANSITV INTERCEPTO CESSANTEM AC BVSTO
OBRATVM [---] FVNDANIVS MARTYRIVS FELIX VIR C(larissimus)
PRA[e(fectus) ann(onae)? ---]TOQ(ue) CONSTRVC
TVM [--- consu]MMATO
OPERE IDE[m]Q[ue---] DEDICAVIT

FLORENTISSIMO STATV IMPERII ROMANI FLAVIVS SPENDONIVS
AVFIDIVS V(ir) C(larissimus) ET SPECT[abilis] COM(es) PRIMI ORD(inis) ET PRAEF(ectus)
ANNONAE
PONTEM VETVSTATE LAPSVM REPARABIT DEDICANTE
MECVM PARITER IVNIO POMPONIO AMMONIO
VIRO INLVSTRI VRBI PRAEFECTO

The Temple of Isis
Also on the left side of the Fossa Traiani the remains were found of what may have been the Temple of Isis. Here a statue of Isis and a portrait of Septimius Severus as Serapis were found. According to an inscription the temple was restored as late as 376 AD by the Emperors Valens, Gratianus and Valentinianus (AE 1968, 86).
Marble yard (statio marmorum)
Also on the left bank of the Fossa Traiani, opposite the Episcopium and to the east, a large marble yard was found. Hundreds of marble blocks and columns were found here and in the Fossa Traiani. Many of these carry inscriptions, made partly in the quarries, partly during an inventory in Portus that took place in 132 AD. The former include the formula ex ratione (cuiusdam) ("from the business of ..."), the latter include numbers and the name of consul Augurinus. From the inscriptions can be deduced that the yard was under Imperial control. It was a stock, from which objects were shipped to Rome. A marble workshop was present, specialised in repairing damaged or faulty objects. If the attempt was not successful, the object was rejected and dumped; these rejected objects have been found. The yard at Portus replaced a yard at the river-harbour in Rome, after the completion of Trajan's harbour. A Tiber ferry at Ostia (where there was no bridge) was in antiquity named after the yard.

The objects from the marble yard to the south of the Fossa Traiani are now on display in Ostia, near the museum. Below are some photographs of the objects, made by Eric Taylor.

[jthb - 30-Mar-2008]