Public Latrines - Ostia Antica, Italy
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 41° 45.237 E 012° 17.347
33T E 274618 N 4626010
Public latrines at Ostia Antica - a fascinating aspect of daily life in ancient Rome.
Waymark Code: WMBDVC
Location: Lazio, Italy
Date Posted: 05/10/2011
Views: 9
Ostia Antica is an archaeological site, near the mouth of the Tiber River. It was once the seaport for ancient Rome. Due to the accumulation of silt and a drop in sea level, it now lies 2 miles inland from the Mediterranean Sea. Slow neglect began once the town ceased to be an active port. Eventually it was completely abandoned. As a result, the site is in an excellent state of preservation.
Perhaps the most intriguing sight in Ostia Antica is the Baths of the Forum (Terme del Foro), the largest public baths in Ostia. Baths were a large part of communal life in the Roman Empire, much like a community center. To one side of these baths are the remains of a twenty-one station public latrine.
Public latrines were common in the Roman Empire and were often associated with the public baths. These latrine rooms were often co-ed, as were the baths. An aqueduct system delivered water continuously in troughs beneath the latrine seats and the waste discharged through sewers into the Tiber River. The hole below the seat made it convenient for Romans to use a sponge on a stick. The baths were built in late in the second century AD by M. Gavius Maximus, praefectus praetorio, during the period 193-225 AD.
Address:
Via dei Romagnoli, 717
Rome RM, Lazio, Italy.
Most Relevant Historical Period: Roman Empire > 27 B.C.
Admission Fee: Adult 6.50 Euros, youths (18 - 25) 3.25 Euros, Over 64 or under 18 free
Opening days/times:
Open every day 8.30 to 19.30.
The Ticket Office closes at 18.00.
The site is closed on Mondays, December 25 and May 1.
Web Site: [Web Link]
Condition: Partly intact or reconstructed
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