The Porta Marina, whose remains are now visible beneath the current level of the Decumanus, formed part of Ostia’s Republican wall circuit, built in around the mid-1st century BC. The gate, which opened in the direction of the ancient beach, was flanked by two square towers; these projected markedly and were further reinforced with a facing in tufa blocks, since the side facing the sea was the most vulnerable to attack. In the Imperial period, when the gate had fallen into disuse, one of the two towers was occupied by the Caupona di Alexander e Helix.
Reconstruction of the route of the Republican walls
(A. Pascolini)
View of the Decumanus near Porta Marina
Plan of area around the Porta Marina gate
(I. Gismondi)
Plan of Porta Marina gate
(O. Visca, 1948-1949)
Excavation of Porta Marina gate
Reconstruction of prospect of the Porta Marina Mausoleum