Antico Porto di Classe

The archaeological park of the Ancient Port of Classe preserves the remains of Ravenna's Roman harbour. Its basins, paved road and warehouse structures show how the port served first the imperial fleet and later the commercial life of the late-antique city.

Why it matters

Founded around 27 BCE under Augustus, Classe became a base for Rome's fleet on the Adriatic and eastern Mediterranean. The harbour's basins could accommodate up to 250 warships. When Ravenna became the Western Empire's capital in the early fifth century, the port was reorganised for commerce and helped supply the city. The harbour city, Civitas Classis, also appears in the mosaics of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo.

What to notice

The excavated area covers about 10,000 square metres. A Roman paved road leads toward the former docks, while surviving warehouse structures mark the quays. Five perspective panels set the remains against reconstructions of the harbour buildings. Finds from the excavations—including amphorae, ceramics, coins, marbles and lamps—are displayed at the nearby Classis Ravenna museum.

The open landscape helps explain the port's setting near Sant'Apollinare in Classe. After the seventh century, trade declined and the harbour channels gradually silted up, leaving the buried structures that archaeological work has since brought to light.

Context and history

The port's changing role followed Ravenna's own rise. It began as a naval base in the Augustan period and became a commercial harbour as the city grew into an imperial capital. Later silting and the decline of maritime trade transformed the area. Today the port remains a key part of the archaeological landscape of Classe, alongside the museum and basilica.