Once it was a priceless jewel in the crown of the Roman Empire a vibrant seaport where the streets overflowed with traders and merchants from around the world. But well before the fall of the Empire, the city of Ostia began a long decline, and for nearly 1,600 years it was abandoned, left to crumble into the sea. This illuminating program tells the complete history of the ruined city that has become second in importance only to Pompeii to modern scholars of Rome. See why its decline and desertion make Ostia so valuable to archaeologists and historians today, and examine their latest finds. Go beneath the waves to view remnants of Rome's ancient glory engulfed by the waters of the Mediterranean. And meet the men and women who are uncovering its long-hidden secrets. From the seaport at the center of an ancient empire to one of the most important archaeological sites in the world