Portus Romae was established in the middle of the first century AD and for well over 400 years was Rome's gateway to the Mediterranean. The port played a key role in funnelling imports—e.g. foodstuffs, wild animals, marble and luxury goods—from across the Mediterranean and beyond to the citizens of Rome and was vital to the pre-eminence of the city in the Roman Mediterranean.
Read more at https://phys.org/news/2019-06-diet-docks-dying-port-ancient.html