The Portus Relief: A Roman Story in Stone

The Roman Empire built power and spread its culture through expansive trade routes. Romans established their primary port at the ancient city of Portus, located at the mouth of the Tiber River on the Mediterranean coast. In 1864, an excavation on an estate at Portus owned by the Torlonia Family unearthed an unusual relief capturing the visual commotion of Roman life.

Dating from the late 2nd or early 3rd century CE, the relief depicts a dynamic scene of ships navigating the ancient harbor, with both real and imagined elements. A large merchant ship occupies the left side of the relief. A sailor in a separate boat helps steer the immense ship into the harbor.

His tiny form gives us some idea of the vessel's scale. The ship’s sail and rigging, materials that have not survived from antiquity, reveal detailed information about ancient seafaring technology. The sail on this ship features two images of the Capitoline she-wolf.

According to legend, she nursed the infant twins Romulus and Remus after they were abandoned in the wild. Romulus would go on to found Rome. This imagery suggests that this is a Roman ship returning to its home port.

An image of Bacchus, the Roman god of agriculture and wine, appears on the front of the ship. His presence may indicate that the ship belongs to a wine merchant. Standing on the ship's deck, three figures—two bearded men and one woman— complete a sacrifice to the gods, perhaps in thanks for guiding the ship safely home.

To the right of the ship stands the nude figure of Neptune, the god of the sea, identified by his long beard and trident. The scale of the figure and lack of a pedestal suggests that this image did not represent an actual sculpture standing at Portus but instead symbolized the god’s protective presence. In the back center stands the famed lighthouse of Portus, a stepped structure topped by a flame.

This was a real landmark that functioned as a symbol of the city, in much the same way that the Eiffel Tower is a symbol of Paris today. On the flame, look for traces of ancient red pigment still visible to the naked eye. In fact, this relief was originally painted with a variety of colors.

Flanking the ship and the lighthouse are two statues standing atop pedestals. At the left is a personification of Portus, a young man wearing a toga and a lighthouse-shaped crown. At the right is a partially nude male holding a cornucopia and a wreath; he represents the spirit of the Roman people.

To the right, we see an arch topped by a statue of a chariot pulled by elephants. This monument appears in several ancient representations of Portus, but there is limited archeological evidence of its precise location. In the upper right corner is a large image of the god Bacchus with his characteristic attributes: a crown of ivy, a pine cone staff, and a panther at his side.

A large, isolated eye hovers in the air nearby. This apotropaic eye, a motif meant to ward off evil, was sometimes painted on ancient ships in the hopes of securing safe passage. To its right, a man exits a ship while carrying an amphora, a vessel used for transporting goods like wine.

Many of the symbols in this relief relate to good fortune, the desire for a safe journey, and Bacchus, who seems to have had a place of worship at Portus. These clues suggest the relief was commissioned as a votive offering to Bacchus, given in thanks for protection. The person who commissioned and dedicated this relief was likely a merchant— perhaps the owner of the large ship.

The relief’s form, a dedication through pictures rather than words, underscores the power of visual storytelling in the Roman Empire.