Back to text menu | Back to clickable plan

Regio I - Insula V-VI - Portico est e ovest di Pio IX and loggias (I,V,2 - I,VI,1)
(East and west porticus of Pius IX and loggias)

The northern stretch of the Cardo Maximus is flanked by shops behind porticos. The porticos were supported by brick piers with pilasters and had floors of opus spicatum. The northern Cardo is the only street in Ostia that is flanked by continuous porticos on either side. The width of the street is 8.90 metres. It ended at the Tiber quay. Behind the western shops is the Via Tecta (Covered Road), behind the eastern shops another row of shops (I,V,1). The porticos received their name from a visit by pope Pius IX in 1866.

In the shops were small internal staircases of a few treads leading to a platform that supported a ladder with which mezzanine floors were reached. External staircases led to apartments on the upper floors. At the south end of the two rows are spacious areas that have been called loggias. The ceiling was supported by brick piers. On an old plan floors of basalt blocks can be seen, suggesting that perhaps the loggias were used as stables. At an unknown point in time two walls were placed on the south end of the Cardo, leaving a space of 3.40 metres.

The structures were built during the reign of Hadrian (opus mixtum, c. 120 AD). There are some later brick reinforcements.

Today nothing can be seen of the Tiber quays at the north end, but Lanciani wrote the following about them: "The quays of the town were composed of a very solid wall, which protected the banks against the encroachments of the river. This wall supported at the same time the back walls of the store-houses, which were pierced with large openings, about nine feet above the level of the water" (Notes from Rome, 1876).



Plan of the structures. North is to the left. After SO I.

Photos and reconstructions



The Cardo seen from the north, looking away from the quays. Photo: Klaus Heese.


The south part of the Cardo seen from the north-west. Photo: Jan Theo Bakker.


Model of the area to the north-east of the Capitolium, seen from the south-west. To the left is a "loggia".
Photo: Karivieri 2020, fig. 10.


Reconstruction drawing of the south end of the eastern portico, seen from the north-west.
Calza 1923, fig. 1.

[jthb - 24-Apr-2022]