Archaeologists have discovered what they say is an ancient Roman-era mikveh amid the sprawling ruins of the ancient port city of Ostia Antica outside Rome. It was described as the oldest mikveh as yet discovered outside the middle east.
The find, made public at a news conference March 10, confirms the Jewish presence in Ostia — where the ruins of a synagogue dating from the 1st to 4th centuries C.E. were already discovered in 1961.
Alessandro D’Alessio, director of the Ostia Antica Archaeological Park called the discovery “absolutely extraordinary, in that there were not previously known mikvaot from the Roman era outside of ancient Judea, Galilea and Edom.”
The mikveh came to light during excavations in June and August 2024 carried out as part of the Ostia Post Scriptum project funded by the ministry of Culture.
The mikveh was found in a “large and sumptuous” building that had already been largely excavated. It occupies a small chamber with a semicircular wall. The basin is reached by three descending steps that show “notable traces of use.” And there is evidence of water intake and drainage infrastructure.
Also discovered during the excavations were items such as small statues, a glass, and oil lamps, including a lamp decorated with a menorah and lulav.
Discovery of the mikveh expands the evidence of the Jewish presence in ancient Rome. Besides the mikveh and synagogue at Ostia Antica, there are ancient Jewish catacombs in the city, not to mention the depiction on the Arch of Titus of the triumphal parade after the sack of Jerusalem and capture of the menorah from the Temple.
At the news conference announcing the mikveh discovery, Rome’s chief rabbi Riccardo Di Segni proposed “a tourist circuit for this type of Jewish tourism. Starting tomorrow I will receive many phone calls to visit it. This is a treasure, perhaps for specialists but the Jewish public that travels the world is looking for this type of thing to see.”
The the announcement on the Culture Ministry web site
REG