Introduction
The area between the buildings to the east of Trajan's basin and the Tiber was investigated thoroughly by Simon Keay and his team from the University of Southampton, using geophysical methods and aerial photos, and by field walking. Unfortunately the area underwent deep ploughing shortly before the investigations started.
GEOPHYSICAL INVESTIGATIONS
AERIAL PHOTOSAt the north end of the area a filled canal (blue) has been detected. It has been called the Northern Canal.
Click to enlarge. Map of the area between Trajan's harbour and the Tiber.
Modern features are light grey. Image: Keay et al. 2005.A road (green) leads from Trajan's basin to the east, to the Tiber. It intersects the modern Via Portuense (light purple). This is the Via Portuensis of the Trajanic period. The east end of the road reaches the modern Tiber bank. Apparently the Tiber has moved a bit to the west. The surface of the road seems to have been of rammed gravel, because basalt blocks did not show up in the magnetometry. Two large anomalies might be the remains of a monumental arch (M) that straddled the road. At the west end, to the south of the intersection of the old and modern road, is a rectangular building (B4; c. 20 x 40 metres).
To the north of the west part of the road is the round Temple of Portumnus (yellow). This is a Severan building that may have been a temple or a mausoleum (see the next page for a detailed description). From here the late-antique city wall of Portus (W) runs to the north-west. The wall is known as Mura Costantiniane, but it was probably built around 400 AD. A large structure to the north-east of the "temple" was most likely a round mausoleum, with a diameter of 25 metres (B1).
Another filled canal (blue) was detected to the south of the road. It is curved and runs from the Fossa Traiana in the south-west to the Tiber in the north-east. It has been called Canale Romano. It is 35 metres wide and had a maximum water-depth between 4.36 and 7.37 metres below the Roman sea level (which was 0.80 below the current sea level). Anomalies on either side of the canal suggest monumental revetment walls and towpaths. It can be dated to the Trajanic period. Between the east part of the road and the canal several buildings can be seen.
Pylons of an aqueduct above ground start at the "temple" and run towards the east (A). This is a Trajanic aqueduct. The aqueduct seems to have continued to the west directly to the north of the "temple", but underground.
An uninterrupted line testifies to a second, undergound aqueduct, running north-east / south-west (U). It is cut by the canal and apparently older: it must be from the Claudian-Neronian period. The aqueduct above ground replaced its southern part when the canal was built. The old underground aqueduct can be followed over a long distance, until it again meets the Canale Romano at its south-west end. The underground channel was revetted by a pair of parallel walls.
In the south part of the area was probably the continuation of the Via Campana. We may assume that the road followed the bank of the Tiber and then turned west at Capo Due Rami (R), following the Fossa Traiana.
The Temple of Portumnus seen from the north, from the Via Portuense (Google Maps).The aerial photos are particularly helpful in identifying a cluster of structures between the Tiber and the northern part of the underground aqueduct (B2), and a building further to the south, in the elbow of the river (B3). The aerial photos were taken in November 2001 by a pilot working for the Guardia di Finanza, who had noticed crop marks while passing over the area. He then handed over the photos to the Soprintendenza Archeologica. Helpful is also a photo in Google Earth, taken on July 29 2007 after a prolonged drought.
Click to enlarge. Map of the buildings in the north-east part of the area.
Based on aerial photos. Image: Keay et al. 2005, fig. 5.58.Structure A41 is B1, but now as seen on the aerial photos. Near building A10 is the junction of the Claudian-Neronian underground aqueduct and the Trajanic one above ground. Buildings A12, A23, A24 and A26 may have been warehouses. Structures A13-A18, along the road, A19-A22 and A25 must have been mausolea. Here, but also all over the investigated area, field walking produced human bones, and pieces of inscriptions and sculpture related to funerary monuments.
A30 may have been a public building, with columns. Like A31-A33 it may have been a temple. A34 may have been a warehouse. The plan suggests that it may have been a bath, but this is ruled out, because the magnetometry showed no evidence of intensive burning of praefurnia. A35 and A37 may also have been warehouses, A36 has an apse. A38 may have been a grand domestic building or horrea.
One of the photos from 2001. Image: Keay et al. 2005, fig. 5.63. In the area of structures A20, A27 and A29 an emergency excavation took place in 1984. A third century cemetery was then found. In the same area a sarcophagus was found in 1971, now in the garden of the museum in Ostia. On the front three scenes are depicted. In the centre is the dextrarum iunctio of the deceased couple. To the left is a veiled bride with a female servant holding a casket. To the right is the husband, dressed in a toga, having a conversation with a bearded male figure, possibly the Genius Senatus. The sarcophagus has been dated to 250-400 AD. For some reason it is unfinished.
The sarcophagus in the garden of the museum in Ostia.Building B3 in the elbow of the Tiber seems to have a curved facade towards the Tiber.
The building in the elbow of the Tiber (B3). Photo: Google Earth (July 29 2007).Keay explains the canal as part of an area meant to speed up transshipment of some cargoes. Towboats could have been loaded by porters coming from horrea to the east of Trajan's basin. The great depth of the canal means that cargo ships could have entered it, not just towboats. During field walking to the south of the canal large dumps of imported amphorae and other kinds of ceramics showed up. A second purpose of the canal may have been to divert flood-waters.
BASILICA OF EUTROPIUS, BONOSA AND ZOSIMA
This is a basilica built at the site of the tombs of three martyrs. The place of discovery of two inscriptions and an ancient text indicate that it was to the east of Portus, at a distance of c. 1.5 kilometres, near the junction of the Fossa Traiana and the Tiber (Capo Due Rami).
Capo Due Rami ("Head of the two branches"), where the Fossa Traiana (to the right) branches off from the Tiber (to the left).
Seen from the north. Photo: Philipp Markus Schmitt.The basilica was built by an otherwise unknown bishop named Donatus. The style of writing of the related inscription points to a date at the end of the fourth or in the early fifth century.
SANCTIS MARTYRIBVS ET BEATI[ssimis]
EVTROPIO BONOSAE ET ZOSIM[ae]
DONATVS EPISC(opus) TVM[ul]VM ADO[rnavit]
SED ET BASILICAM CONI[un]CTAM [tumulo]
A FVNDAMENTIS SANCTAE [ple]BI D[ei construxit]For the holy and blessed martyrs
Eutropius, Bonosa and Zosima
bishop Donatus embellished the tomb,
but also built a basilica adjoining the tomb
from the foundations for the holy people of God.One of two fragments of an inscription belonging to the basilica.
Found in 1837 and 1858. EDR149619. Photo: EDCS-05701954.The second inscription has been assigned by some to the years 270-330 AD, by others to the late fourth century.
ACCIPE ME DIXIT DOMIN[e in tua limina, Christe]
EXAVDITA CITO FRVITV[r modo lumine caeli]
ZOSIME SANCTA SOROR M[agno defuncta periclo]
IAM VIDET ET SOCIOS SANC[ti certaminis omnes]
LAETATVRQVE VIDENS MIRA[ntes sistere circum]
MIRANTVRQVE PATRES TAN[ta virtute puellam]
QVAM SVO DE NVMERO CVPIE[ntes esse vicissim]
CERTATIMQVE TENENT ATQV[e amplectuntur ovantes]
IAM VIDET ET SENTIT MAGNI [spectacula regni]
ET BENE PRO MERITIS GAVDET SIBI PRAEMIA REDDI
TECVM PAVLE TENENS CALCATA MORTE CORONAM
NAM FIDE SERVATA CVRSVM CVM PACE PEREGITWelcome me, she said, in your house, my Lord Christ.
Listened to immediately, she already enjoyed the light of heaven,
Zosime, the holy sister, after having triumphed from a great danger.
Already she sees all the comrades in the holy struggle
and she is happy, seeing that they are standing around her, admiring.
And the fathers admire this girl, who is so virtuous.
They desire that now she belongs to them,
and eagerly they hold and embrace her, triumphantly.
Already she sees and is experiencing the spectacles of the great kingdom,
and happily she receives the well-deserved rewards.
With you, Paul, she holds the crown, having conquered death.
Because she kept her faith and completed her journey in peace.Part of an inscription belonging to the basilica.
Found in 1858. EDR149621. Photo: EDCS-05701955.The martyrdom of Bonosa is set during the reign of Septimius Severus, in 211 AD (the story mentions his demise in York). A few extracts:
Anno igitur ab incarnatione domini nostri Iesu Christi fere ducentesimo septimo Severus impiissimus adeptus est imperium, qui se Pertinacem appellari voluit. Hic natura saevus, multis saepe bellis lacessitus, fortissime quidem Rempublicam, sed superbissime rexit. Quintam post Neronem persecutionem in Christianos exercuit, plurimique sanctorum per diversas provincias martyrio coronati sunt. Ex quibus extitit virgo beatissima, Bonosa nomine, nobili quidem prosapia orta, nobilior sanctitate est facta, quae dum a cunabulis Christo credidisset, multis coepit po‹l›lere virtutibus, ac ieiuniis et orationibus insistens, omnipotenti Domino nostro Iesu Christo quotidie famulabatur.
Alia autem die iussit sibi praeses tribunal parari iuxta Romanum portum ante forum, et sanctam Virginem suis orationibus sisti praecepit. Cui etiam dixit: Consule pulchritudini tuae, et sacrifica deo Herculi, atque consenti mihi, et possidebis copias auri et argenti, et habebis hereditarios filios. Bonosa virgo sancta respondit: Pro certo scias praeses, quia numquam sacrificabo diis vanis, neque polluar sordibus alienis; aurum et argentum tu posside fili diaboli, qui possidere debes aeternum supplicium. Ego autem habeo aeternam hereditatem in regnis caelestibus.
Altera vero die sedens praeses pro tribunali dedit capitalem sententiam super eos, qui nuper baptizati erant, qui ducti sunt foras portam civitatis et decollati sunt octavo Idus Iulii, accipientes in Domino victoriae palmas, quorum corpora sepulta sunt non longe a Portu Romano stadio uno.
Sancta Bonosa virgo respondit: Minister sathanae, cur hortaris Dei famulam fidem mutare, quam ab infantia Christo domino cognoscis esse firmatam, et cum quo ero aeternaliter regnatura? Ad haec praeses iratus dixit: Sacrilegam Bonosam, blasphemiam diis inferentem, et decretis imperatorum obsecundare nolentem, iubeo capite caedi. Tunc praecepit spiculatori, ut suo proprio ense decollaret eam. Educta est igitur virgo Christi foras urbis portas, et capitalem subiit sententiam Idibus Iulii. Ipse autem imperator, qui eam comprehendi fecerat eodem anno apud Eboracum oppidum morbo percussus obiit. Sic enim Dominus N. Iesus Christus suos vindicat Sanctos, et dat eis gloriam sempiternam. Qui cum Patre, et Spiritu sancto vivit, et regnat per omnia secula seculorum. Amen. Gloriosissima virgo Bonosa ora pro nobis miseris peccatoribus, cuius festum celebratur die quintadecima mensis Iulii.And so, in approximately the 207th year from the incarnation of our lord, Jesus Christ, the most impious [Septimius] Severus, who took the name Pertinax, seized power. He was a violent man by nature, challenged often by many wars. He ruled the state most bravely but very arrogantly. He undertook the fifth persecution against the Christians after Nero, and several of the saints were crowned with martyrdom throughout the many provinces. Among whom the most blessed virgin, Bonosa by name, stood out: born of a noble family, and made more noble still by her holiness, who, since she had entrusted her life to Christ from the cradle, began to acquire renown by means of her many virtues and, pursuing fasts and prayers, every day was a servant to our all-powerful lord, Jesus Christ.
So, on the following day, the governor ordered a tribunal to be erected at the Roman port in front of the Forum, and he ordered the holy virgin to be brought forward for his message. And he said to her: "Take heed of your beauty and sacrifice to the god Hercules, and join with me, and you will have an abundance of gold and silver and sons for your heirs". The holy virgin Bonosa responded: "May you know for certain, governor, that I will never sacrifice to empty gods. Nor will I be polluted by foreign, unclean things. Possess gold and silver yourself, you son of the devil, who ought to possess eternal torment. I, however, have an endless inheritance in heavenly realms above".
On the next day, the governor, sitting at the tribunal, passed a sentence of capital punishment for those who had recently been baptized; they were led outside the gate of the city and decapitated on the eighth day before the Ides of July [July 8th], taking their palm of victory for the lord, and their bodies were buried not far off, at one mile from the Roman port.
The holy virgin Bonosa answered, "Minister of Satan, why do you urge a servant of God to change her faith, which you know was established from infancy to Christ the lord, with whom I will reign eternally?" To these words the governor, angered, said, "Sacrilegious Bonosa, speaking blasphemy to the gods, and unwilling to follow the orders of the emperors, I order you to be beheaded." Then he instructed his assistant to decapitate her with his own sword. And so, the virgin of Christ was led out of the gates of the city and she received the death penality on the Ides of July [July 15th]. The emperor himself, however, who had instructed her to be seized, died during that same year, struck by sickness at the town of Eboracum [York]. For in this way, our lord Jesus Christ vindicates his holy men and women and gives them eternal glory. Who, with the father and holy spirit, lives and reigns through all the ages of the ages. Amen. The most glorious virgin Bonosa, pray for us wretched sinners, whose feast is celebrated on the 15th day of the month of July.Acta Sanctorum, Martyrdom of Bonosa. Translation Douglas Boin.
