Ostia Synagogue

The Ostia Synagogue is an ancient Jewish place of worship and community building located within the archaeological site of Ostia Antica in Lazio, Italy. It is dated to the Roman imperial period and is one of the earliest known synagogue buildings in the western Mediterranean.

The site preserves the plan of a synagogue building and associated archaeological remains that attest to a settled Jewish community in Ostia during antiquity. Visitors examine stone remains and in-situ features connected to the building and congregation as part of the larger Ostia Antica site.

Archaeological investigation took place during the 20th century and the synagogue has been interpreted as a community center used across late antiquity; finds from the site are displayed in situ or in related museum collections. The building demonstrates the presence and organization of Jewish life in a Roman port city.

The synagogue is situated inside the Ostia Antica archaeological park on the coast of Lazio, roughly southwest of central Rome and within the Roman Empire’s ancient port complex.

• Visiting information: Open as part of the Ostia Antica archaeological park; visiting is usually combined with the wider Roman port-site excavation.

What to See #

• Ostia Synagogue building: Located within the archaeological and historic area of Ostia Antica, the synagogue building dates to the Roman imperial period and contains archaeological evidence of a Jewish community.
• Archaeological remains: Archaeological finds associated with the synagogue include ritual installations and inscriptions that document use by a local Jewish congregation in antiquity.