Ancient Roman Latrine, Ostia Antica

This latrine, built within two Hadrianic-era shops (117–138), is one of the best-preserved in Ostia. Twenty marble seats lined three walls, with a central drainage channel and a front gutter for sponge cleaning. A basin against the wall allowed for ablutions. Holes in thresholds suggest these seats once had revolving wooden lids, blending sanitation with comfort in communal use.