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Imperial Rome and Ostia: Track 6

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The splendidly evocative ruins of ancient Rome have long been a challenge to historians and archaeologists in reconstructing how it looked and functioned. It became the largest city in the western world during the imperial period, so how was the city constructed, and what were the materials used? How was it defended, supplied with food and water, and how were the people housed and entertained, and above all, how did it function? These video tracks use various famous sites such as the Baths of Caracalla and the Pantheon to answer some of these questions. This material forms part of the course AT308 Cities and technology: from Babylon to Singapore.

Track 6: Ostia

Ostia became one of the largest provincial cities of the Roman Empire and here we look at how built-up the ancient settlement was, and the importance of river trade.



Tracks in this podcast:

Track Title Description
1 Imperial Rome and Ostia A brief introduction to the album. Play now Imperial Rome and Ostia
2 The construction of Imperial Rome A large scale model shows us how Imperial Rome once looked and we also learn some of its fascinating history. Play now The construction of Imperial Rome
3 Aqueducts in Rome A look at how aqueducts were a great engineering achievement in Imperial Rome. Play now Aqueducts in Rome
4 The Aurelianic wall The renewed threat of barbarian invasion led to the construction of the Aurelianic wall - the second fortification in the history of Imperial Rome. Play now The Aurelianic wall
5 Feeding the Roman Empire This track looks at how grain - a staple part of the Roman diet - was shipped in to feed the Roman's and where the grain was stored. Play now Feeding the Roman Empire
6 Ostia Ostia became one of the largest provincial cities of the Roman Empire and here we look at how built-up the ancient settlement was, and the importance of river trade. Play now Ostia
7 Warehouses and storage in Imperial Rome An insight in to where and how the Romans stored their food and other supplies. Play now Warehouses and storage in Imperial Rome
8 Insulae Insulae were apartment buildings used to house the Romans. This video looks at the construction of these buildings, paying particular attention to the materials used. Play now Insulae
9 Water and sanitation in Imperial Rome An explanation of how the Romans washed and acquired their water. Play now Water and sanitation in Imperial Rome
10 Roman industries Fulleries and bakeries played a prominent part in everyday Roman life. This video explains how. Play now Roman industries
11 Roman baths The Romans have always been renowned for their famous baths. This video focuses on the engineering and technologies behind them. Play now Roman baths
12 Monumental buildings This video explores several monumental buildings in Imperial Rome, notably, the Imperial palaces of Rome. Play now Monumental buildings
13 The Pantheon Temple A comprehensive look at the history and construction of the lavish Pantheon Temple. Play now The Pantheon Temple
14 The Baths of Caracalla Roman baths acted as urban social spaces, like the leisure centres of modern world. This video track explains the routine a Roman might go through upon visiting the baths. Play now The Baths of Caracalla
15 The dome of the caldarium This video concludes how the Romans were excellent developers of technology, but not necessarily very inventive. Play now The dome of the caldarium

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