The ancient Roman city of Ostia was founded in the 3rd century BCE and abandoned in the 8th century CE, and it eventually became a valuable source of building materials for some of Italy’s finest cathedrals. Yet by the 18th century, it had also become the subject of considerable interest to antiquarians, and archaeologists continue to study and excavate areas of Ostia even today. Visitors to the modern archaeological park often wonder, “What is it like to work at a site that has been subject to centuries of looting and excavation? What more can we possibly learn about Ostia?”
In this lecture, archaeologist Mary Jane Cuyler will address these questions by presenting some the newest discoveries at Ostia, explaining how both archival research and less-invasive archaeological investigations can produce startling results.
Dr. Mary Jane Cuyler is a post-doctoral researcher in Classics and Archaeology at the MF Norwegian School of Theology. She is the Director of Field Excavations for the Ostia Synagogue Project (University of Texas at Austin) and she publishes and lectures widely on topics related to Roman archaeology and Ostia.