Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume II.djvu/518

 502 OSTIA. portant was the trade of Ostia become, especially on account of the supplies of corn which it furnished to the capital, that it was made the place of residence of one of the four quaestors of Italy, and gave name to one of the " provinciae quaestoriau" into which that country was divided. (Cic. pro Muren. 8, pro Sest. 17 ; Suet. Claud. 24.) But the increasing com- merce of Ostia rendered its natural disadvantages as a port only the more sensible; and there can be little doubt that those disadvantages were them- selves continually increasing. It had been origin- ally founded, as we are e.pressly told, close to the mouth of the Tiber, from which it is now distant above three miles; and the process of alluvial depo- sition, which has wrought this change, has been undoubtedly going on throughout the intervening period. Hence Strabo describes in strong terms the disadvantages of Ostia in his day, and calls it " a city without a port, on account of the alluvial depo- sits continually brought down by the Tiber, which compelled the larger class of vessels to ride at anclior in the open roadstead at great risk, while their cargoes were unloaded into boats or barges, by which they were carried up the river to Kome. Other ves.sels were themselves towed up the Tiber, after they had been lightened by discharging a part of their cargoes." (Strab. v. pp. 231, 232.) Diony- sius gives a more favourable view, but 'which does not substantially differ from the preceding account. (Dionys. iii. 4-t.) These evils had already attracted the attention of the dictator Caesar, and among the projects ascribed to him, was one for forming an artificial port or basin at Ostia (Pint. Caes. 58): but this was neglected by his successors, until the OSTIA. increasing difficulty of supplying Rome with corn compelled Claudius to undertake the work. That emperor, instead of attempting to cleanse and restore the original port of Ostia at the mouth of the Tiber, determined on the construction of an entirely new ba.sin, which was excavated in the sea- shore about two miles to the N. of Ostia, and which was made to communicate with the river by an arti- ficial cut or canal. This port was protected and enlarged by two moles projecting out into the sea, so as toenclo.se an extensive space, while in the interval between them a breakwater or artificial island was thrown up, crowned by a lighthouse. (Dion Cass. Ix. 11 ; Suet. Claud. 20; Plin. ix. 6, xvi. 40. s. 76; Juv. xii. 75 — 81.) This great work was called the Foetus Augusti, on which account its construction, or at least commencement, is by some writers re- ferred to the emperor Augustus ; but there is no au- thority for this ; and Dion Cassius distinctly assigns the commencement as well as completion of it to Claudius. Nero, however, appears to have put the finishing hand to the work, and in consequence struck coins on which he claims it for his own. (Eekhel, vol. vi. p. 276.) After this it was con- siderably augmented by Trajan, who added an inner basin or dock, of a hexagonal form, surrounded with quays and extensive ranges of buildings fur maga- zines and storehouses. This port was called by him PoRTUS Tkajani ; and hence we afterwards meet in inscriptions with the " Portus Augusti et Trajani," and sometimes " Portus uterque " in the same sense. (Juv. I. c, et Schol. ad he. ; Gruter, Inscr. p. 308. 10, p. 440. 3.) At the same time he enlarged or repaired the artificiiU channel of communication with PLAN OF OSTIA. A A. Main channel of the Tiber. B. Right arm of ditto, the Fossa Trajana, now called Fiumicino. C. Fiume Morto, dry bed of ancient course of the Tiber. D. Modem village of Ostia, E. liuins of ancient Ostia. F. Portus Augusti. O. Portus Trajani. U. Insula Sacra.