Ostia aerea: prima e dopo l'E42

The site of ancient Ostia, with its peculiar complexity, has seen during 20th century intensive and extensive field researches, constantly testified by aerial photographs: material that is still of high interest for scholars and researchers. Starting from the “Topophotographich relief” realized by the Italian Army in 1911, up to the “Atlante di Ostia antica” realized in 1996, Ostia has become one of the most photographed from up high among archeological sites all around Italy. The analysis of aerial photographs allows to develop a research structured in two main branches: the study of the ancient city and of its urban development, and the transformation of the landscape conceived by archaeologists during last century. Aerial photographs bring interesting suggestions for the study of undigged areas, and in particular new elements about the urbanization of the city. Even before the recent discoveries made by the Deutsches Archaeologisches Institut, it was thus possible to highline the importance of the area of the gate of the ancient walls at the end of via del Sabazeo. Aerial photographs allow also to evaluate the development of the site in an archeological park, both through the connection of isolated groups of ruins (this project was the core of the program of Dante Vaglieri and Guido Calza) and through greenery design, based in the development of a garden in front of the “Casone del Sale” (now the Antiquarium of the site) and in the extensive tree planting along the Decumanus maximus and the boulevard of access to the area. Sometimes trees are even used for the reconstruction of particular areas, such as the “Foro di porta Marina”. Through aerial photographs it is possible to understand the impact of the extensive excavations carried out from 1938 onward under the will of the fascism on the occasion of the Universal Exhibition foreseen for 1942 in Rome (E42). It’s clear the vision of the E42 project to increase in number and connect the excavated areas, as the will to make the site more connected to wider suburban landscape through the construction of a panoramic highway, which will cause the definitive isolation of the so called “necropoli della via Laurentina”