Iter Ostiense project, developed by GREAL in collaboration with the research centers WGSD and IRCIT, the Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica, and the DMO H2O Tevere Mare, has been officially launched in its final version for primary school activities. The first school to host the project was “Maestre Pie Filippini” in Anzio.
Iter Ostiense is an educational enhancement initiative that aims to promote the archaeological site of Ostia Antica through a playful and didactic journey, including both classroom activities and specially guided visits to the ancient city’s park.
The first session took place at the school on March 14, with a workshop led by two of the project’s authors, Dr. Giorgia Lauri and Dr. Roberta Rodelli, together with teacher Valeria. The activities included interaction with a virtual game platform shown on the smartboard (LIM), where the exploration of Ostia Antica was “guided” by Aulus Egrilius Magnus – the young protagonist of the app, inspired by a real historical child known through an epigraphic source. The children helped him reconstruct an “ancient” tourist guide to the city. At the end of the virtual tour, they answered quiz questions and played with a “tabula lusoria”, the ancestor of modern board games.
The second session was held on April 30 directly at the archaeological site. A specialized guide—Dr. Eleonora Capannolo, also an author of the project’s content—accompanied the class through the locations they had previously explored virtually. The children, along with teachers Valeria and Marzia, continued to learn by playing and discovering the ancient site in person.