Ancient Roman Latrines At Ostia Antica, Italy Stock Image

It is thought Ostia Antica, at the mouth of the river Tiber, was founded in about 335 BC as one of the very first Roman colonies. Ostia Antica became the great gateway for the Mediterranean to the city of Rome. With the end of the Roman Empire, Ostia fell slowly into decay. Close by the Forum Baths is a well-preserved Roman public latrine. The Ostian toilets consist of seats with holes (for obvious reasons) and with a hole in the front, through which a sponge on a stick could be used.