Ostia Antica

Ostia Antica

As I walked through the long overwhelming road in Ostia Antica, all I could do was wonder how people could walk through this space so easily. I found myself looking down more than I did up because of fear of falling. As I continued down the road I realized more and more that I was walking through an actual city. It was interesting being able to see the space as it was and not built over with modern structures. All the ruins seemed like mazes. I imagined houses and shops stationed where the ruins stand now. I took the time out to go in and out of those places, touching the walls so that it can take me back in time. Walking back through the long road I noticed stairs that lead up to a look out and big structures such as the theater. These particular spaces made me imagine the space more like a city with different functions. Like the main city of Rome, I began to notice the difference between one side of the city that could have been held for entertainment while other sides that city could have been more for homes, and others for worship. As I tripped and stared at the road before me I then started getting more and more interested in how far the road could lead me. I stopped paying attention to the structures and ruins surrounding me and focused more on the seemingly never ending road in front of me. I followed the road until the fatigued I felt in my body beat my curiosity. I was eventually able to see where the city ended when we reached the synagogue as a class. Although the walk killed me it felt like an accomplishment to walk through most of a city in a day, compared to the way we’ve broken up our walk through the city of Rome.