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It is the best preserved ancient Roman town. It has superlative mosaics and balconied multi-story buildings.
My top-five list:
Ostia Antica served as both a military camp (to prevent invaders from sailing up the Tiber River to reach Rome) and the major commercial port for imports from distant lands destined for Rome.
True, Pompeii is a more exciting tourist draw than Ostia Antica because it was dramatically buried under the ashes of a Vesuvius eruption. However, Ostia Antica has its pluses. It is better preserved and gives the visitor a better idea of what a typical ancient Roman town was like.

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