Calling on all our seafaring and maritime guests!
Have you heard about the recently reopened Museum of Roman Ships in Fiumicino?
Called, in Italian, the Museo della Navi di Fiumicino, since 1979 it has played host to the remains of five Roman ships from the imperial era which were discovered during the building of the Leonardo di Vinci airport in Rome during 1958-65.
The museum closed in 2002 for structural works but we have good news: it’s now open again and we are ready to experience Roman naval history in style!
It is a lovely little museum, built literally on top of where these vessels were found!
The number of hulls actually found was seven, and the five on display are three boats used to transport goods along the Tiber, a sea transport ship, and a fishing vessel.
The location of these wondrous finds, now with the international airport partially sitting on top of it, was the port basin of Trajan and Claudius, the largest port of the ancient Roman Empire during its heyday.
1. Ostia, the first port of Rome.
The most ancient port of Rome was the city of Ostia (a marvelous archaeological site that you can visit with us if you want), located South of the Tiber River.
Even if the oldest archaeological evidence dates back to the 4th century B.C., according to legend, Ostia was one of the Romans’ first colonies dating back as far as the 4th King of Rome, Ancus Marcius (7th century b.C.).
Ostia Antica (ancient Ostia) is one of the most important archaeological sites in Italy.
Taking a walk through Ostia Antica is like taking a walk in the Roman age. The city is really well preserved but despite its charm is not nearly as crowded as the more famous Pompeii.
That makes a day trip to Ostia, also reachable by train from Rome, an even more appealing experience.
Despite its crucial importance in Roman history, the shallow waters of Ostia didn’t allow the massive ships from Alexandria and the other great Mediterranean ports to dock.
2. Portus, the second port of Rome.
That is why, in the 1st century AD, the emperor Claudius started the construction of a gargantuan, artificial basin, located North of the Tiber River. The new port, and the town connected to it, was called “Portus” – which simply means “harbor” in Latin.
The port was later extended by the emperor Trajan, at the beginning of the 2nd century AD, with the construction of a massive hexagonal basin, which you can still see from your airplane as you fly into or out of Rome.
The Museum of the Roman Ships was built in the basin by Claudius and Trajan, which was later filled up by sand and debris.
3. Which are the Five Ships at the Museum of Ships in Fiumicino?
Three of the ships are caudicariae, barges with flat bottoms and high sides used as transport vehicles on the canals and lagoons linking the sea at Portus inland to the Tiber and on to Rome.
These barges had to be towed with ropes by pulling crews on the river bank to reach Rome’s main inner port in what is now the Testaccio neighbourhood as the Tiber was shallow with treacherous currents.
Finally, we have the navis vivara, a modest little fishing vessel that is in an excellent state of preservation, the hull almost complete – quite unique!, and the last is a sea vessel likely used for commerce as it was small but highly maneuverable.
The navis vivara would have a wooden well where fishermen kept their catch alive until they reached land and the markets, it would typically be the higher classes who would have seawater fish on the table, considered a luxury and therefore expensive too.
The ancient Romans – and Greeks – were keen foodies, even back then!
4. How to Visit the Museum of the Roman Ships in Fiumicino
You can reach the Museum of the Roman Ships by simply taking one of the many trains that connect Rome to Fiumicino – Leonardo da Vinci Airport. You can check the schedule on the Trenitalia website.
Once in the airport, you need to walk a few minutes to get to the Museum.
But, if you want to have a more complete and in-depth experience, you can book a private, tailored tour with Italian ArtVentures and get a quote for a full-day tour with a private driver.
The visit to the Museum of the Roman Ships can easily be combined with a tour of Ostia Antica and the Necropolis of Portus, the cemetery that developed close to the port of Claudius and Trajan.
Also, you can add a tour of the archaeological area of the harbour of Trajan, part of the same complex.
Coming to Rome is a great chance to see more than just the Colosseum and the Vatican.
Don’t miss the chance to go off the beaten path and discover treasures that are much less crowded than the most famous sights.
