Colonia Ostia conservata et aucta

Hadrian's initiatives must have been greatly appreciated by the people of Ostia. A man whose name unfortunately is preserved partly only erected a temple of Serapis, which was inaugurated on Hadrian's birthday, 24 January 127 AD. The event was recorded in the Annals of Ostia. The Egyptian deity Serapis (a fusion of Osiris and Apis) was linked to the Egyptian grain and the Alexandrian fleet that brought it to Rome's harbours.

The ruins of the Serapeum. Photo: Mols 2007, fig. 1.

Small bust of Jupiter-Serapis from the House of the Millstones. Photo: Parco Archeologico di Ostia.	Portrait of Hadrian found in a lime-kiln. Photo: Wikimedia, Sailko.

The gratitude of the city is documented in an inscription that is now in Rome, in Saint Paul Outside the Walls. It must come from Ostia, like several other inscriptions that are now in the church. The colony Ostia says that it was "preserved and strengthened through all his indulgence and generosity". Here we must remember that, shortly before, Trajan had withdrawn Portus, the harbour district to the north of Ostia, from the authority of Ostia. He had made it property of Rome. A sigh of relief must have gone through Ostia when it became clear that a crucial role was being given to Ostia in supplying Rome, as an organisational hub next to Portus. Not only was much new construction started, Ostia also remained the seat of an Imperial procurator who oversaw the food supply.

	IMP(eratori) CAESA[ri divi] TRAIANI PAR[thici f(ilio)] DIVI NERVAE [nepoti] TRAIANO HAD[riano] AVG(usto) PONTIFICI M[aximo] TRIB(unicia) POTEST(ate) XVII CO(n)S(uli) III P(atri) P(atriae) COLONIA OSTIA CONSERVATA ET AVCTA OMNI INDVLGENTIA ET LIBERALITATE EIVS
	The inscription in Saint Paul Outside the Walls. Late 132-133 AD. EDR105690. Photo: EDH F007520.