Business as usual

In 138 AD Hadrian died in Baiae on the Gulf of Naples. He was succeeded by his adopted son Antoninus Pius. During his reign building activity slowed down, which makes sense, because so much had already been achieved.

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Map of Ostia with buildings from the reigns of Antoninus Pius (hatched), Marcus Aurelius and Commodus.

The food supply, the annona, especially the provisioning of Rome with grain, remained a priority. Coins were issued with depictions of grain measures with grain ears. One of the coins has the personification of the annona: a standing female figure with rudder and tessera frumentaria, the document with which those entitled to free grain in Rome identified themselves. To her left is a grain measure, to her right the lighthouse of Portus.

Denarius struck by Antoninus Pius. 140-144 AD. A grain measure and the text ANNONA AVG. Photo: British Museum, BM 1935,0606.12.	Sestertius struck by Antoninus Pius. 145-161 AD. Annona, a grain measure and the lighthouse in Portus. Text ANNONA AVG FELIX, S C. Photo: British Museum, BM 1860,0326.27.

The size of the population must now have reached its peak. There was a commercial middle class with a large percentage of freedmen and descendants of freedmen. Representatives of overseas traders could be seen on the streets, and on the fringes of the city sailors, but these never formed an integral part of the population. The voices of Egyptians speaking Greek would be heard. Some of them set up a dedication to Isis Pharia, "of the Alexandrian lighthouse", for the safety of Antoninus Pius.

A Greek dedication to Isis Pharia for the safety of Antoninus Pius. Found in Portus. EDR118744. Parma, Museo Archeologico Nazionale. Photo: EDR.	Graffito of a lighthouse in the House of the Muses. Photo: ICCD N005281.	Alabaster statuette of Isis found on a street near the temple of Serapis in Ostia. Photo: Parco Archeologico di Ostia.

A portrait of Antoninus Pius found in the south part of Ostia. Photo: Wikimedia, Sailko.	A portrait of Pius' wife Faustina found in a lime-kiln. Photo: Wikimedia, Sailko.