In the Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica, a mikveh, a Jewish ritual bath, has been identified during excavations carried out in June and August 2024. The discovery of this mikveh is of singular importance, as it represents concrete evidence of the Jewish presence in Roman Ostia, reinforcing its role as a melting pot of cultures and beliefs.
According to Alessandro Giuli, Italy’s Minister of Culture, this discovery strengthens Ostia’s image as a meeting point for different civilizations within the Mediterranean world, a place where diversity was an everyday reality in Imperial Rome.
Alfonsina Russo, Head of the Department for the Enhancement of Cultural Heritage, emphasized that Ostia’s location at the mouth of the Tiber favored its role as a center of commercial, linguistic, and religious exchange.
The confirmation of a deep-rooted Jewish community in this port city adds to other archaeological evidence revealing the interaction of diverse populations within the Roman Empire.
Massimo Osanna, Director General of Museums, highlighted that funds allocated in recent years to archaeological research have enabled discoveries of this magnitude. In this regard, the Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica has demonstrated leadership in applying new research methodologies. The discovery opens new avenues of study on the social and religious structure of Roman Ostia.
The mikveh is located in a semi-subterranean structure with access to a spring-fed water well, an essential feature for Jewish ritual purification. The rectangular room, with a semicircular apse, includes a staircase with three steps, severely worn from use. The floor shows remains of brick paving and a drainage system that ensured the constant renewal of water.
Among the objects recovered during the excavation are oil lamps decorated with the image of a menorah (seven-branched candelabrum) and a lulav (palm branch), as well as a well-preserved glass vessel. These elements, dated between the 4th and 6th centuries CE, suggest that the mikveh remained in use until late antiquity.
The Director of the Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica, Alessandro D’Alessio, explained that this discovery confirms the continuous Jewish presence in the city from the 1st century CE until the fall of the Western Roman Empire. This finding adds to the oldest known Jewish inscription in Italy, discovered in the Pianabella necropolis, as well as the Ostia synagogue, built between the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE.
Riccardo Di Segni, Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community of Rome, emphasized the significance of this discovery within the history of Jewish life in the Diaspora. The existence of a mikveh in Ostia demonstrates the community’s commitment to observing its traditions, even outside the Land of Israel. Furthermore, the elegance and functionality of the structure suggest that it was part of a larger Jewish complex.
Victor Fadlun, President of the Jewish Community of Rome, highlighted the importance of this discovery for historical memory. The mikveh is tangible proof of the millennia-old roots of Jews in Rome, a tradition that has endured through the centuries and remains alive today.
The OPS – Ostia Post Scriptum Project was launched in 2022 as a collaboration between the Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica, the University of Catania, and the Polytechnic University of Bari. Its goal is to deepen the understanding of Ostia’s urban development and improve public accessibility to the site.
Thanks to advances in excavation, the team of archaeologists has been able to explore an area of great historical significance, located near the ancient course of the Tiber. Surprisingly, this area had not been previously investigated, allowing for the discovery of the mikveh in an intact stratigraphic context.
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