Pont du Gard, France, a Roman era aqueduct circa 19 BC. It is one of France's top tourist attractions at over 1.4 million visitors per year, and a World Heritage Site.

The ancient Romans constructed numerous aqueducts to supply water to cities and industrial sites. These aqueducts were among the greatest engineering feats of the ancient world, and set a standard not equalled for over a thousand years after the fall of Rome. Many cities still maintain and use the ancient aqueducts for their water supply even today. Pont du Gard, France Image by ChrisO File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Pont du Gard, France Image by ChrisO File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Pont du Gard, France The Pont du Gard is an aqueduct in the south of France constructed by the Roman Empire, and located near Remoulins, in the Gard département. ... i rule:Forum Romanum panorama 2. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain range, lake, desert, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated, and confirmed, for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. ... i rule:Forum Romanum panorama 2. ... Pont du Gard, France, a Roman aqueduct built circa 19 BC. It is one of Frances top tourist attractions and a World Heritage Site. ... The History of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, a major literary achievement of Eighteenth Century, was written by the English historian, Edward Gibbon. ...

The Romans typically built aqueducts to serve any large city in their empire. The city of Rome itself, being the largest city, had the largest concentration of aqueducts, with water being supplied by eleven aqueducts constructed over a period of 500 years. For other senses of this name, see Roman Empire (disambiguation). ... City motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus – SPQR (The Senate and the People of Rome) Founded 21 April 753 BC (mythical), early 1st millennium BC (archaeological) Region Latium Area  - City Proper  1285 km² Population  - City (2004)  - Metropolitan  - Density (city proper) 2,553,873 almost 4,300,000 1. ...

Engineering

The combined length of the aqueducts in the city of Rome was nearly 260 miles (416 km). However, only 29 miles (47 km) were above ground, as most Roman aqueducts ran beneath the surface of the ground. Building underground helped to keep the water free from disease (the carcasses of animals would not be able to get into the aqueduct) and helped protect the aqueducts from enemy attack. The longest Roman aqueduct, the Aqueduct of Hadrian, is 87 miles (141 km) in length. It was built in the 2nd century to supply Carthage (in modern Tunisia). // Events Roman Empire governed by the Five Good Emperors (96–180) – Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius. ... Carthaginian settlements in the western Mediterranean. ...

Roman aqueducts were extremely sophisticated constructions. They were built to remarkably fine tolerances, and of a technological standard that had a gradient of only 34 cm per km (3.4:1,000), descending only 17 m vertically in its entire length of 31 miles (50 km). Powered entirely by gravity, they transported very large amounts of water very efficiently (the Pont du Gard carried 20,000 cubic meters {nearly 6 million gallons} a day and the combined aqueducts of the city of Rome supplied around 1 million cubic meters (300 million gallons) a day (an accomplishment not equalled until the late 19th century and represents a value 25% larger than the present water supply of the city of Bangalore, with has a population of 6 million). Sometimes, where depressions deeper than 50 m had to be crossed, gravity pressurised pipelines called inverted siphons were used to force water uphill (although they almost always used venter bridges as well). Modern hydraulic engineers use similar techniques to enable sewers and water pipes to cross depressions. Gravity is a force of attraction that acts between bodies that have mass. ... Pont du Gard, France The Pont du Gard is an aqueduct in the south of France constructed by the Roman Empire, and located near Remoulins, in the Gard département. ... The Vidhana Soudha is the seat of Karnatakas Legislative assembly Bangalore (Kannada: ; (?) in Kannada and // in English) is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. ... Inverted siphons are pressurized piplines that force water uphill. ... Table of Hydraulics and Hydrostatics, from the 1728 Cyclopaedia. ... Sewers transport wastewater from buildings to treatment facilities. ...

A portion of the Eifel aqueduct, Germany, built in 80, showing the calcium carbonate that accretes on the sides of the channel without regular maintenance.

In addition to the expertise needed to build them, Roman aqueducts required a comprehensive system of regular maintenance to repair accidental breaches, to clear the lines of debris, and to remove buildup of chemicals such as calcium carbonate that naturally occur in the water. Download high resolution version (512x740, 32 KB) Photographed by Markus Schweiß Deposits of calcium carbonate reduced the cross-section of the Eifel aqueduct dramatically. ... Download high resolution version (512x740, 32 KB) Photographed by Markus Schweiß Deposits of calcium carbonate reduced the cross-section of the Eifel aqueduct dramatically. ... The route of the Eifel aqueduct, with its average slope. ... For other uses, see number 80. ... Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound, with chemical formula CaCO3. ... Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound, with chemical formula CaCO3. ...

Construction

Many tools were used in the construction of the aqueduct. An example of this is the chrobate. The chrobate was used to level terrain before construction. It was a wooden object supported by four legs with a flat board on top; in which was ingraved a half circle. When used the half circle was filled with water and the angle at which there was no water was measured. Another tool used in the construction of the aqueduct was the groma. Gromas were used to measure right angles. A groma consisted of stones hanging off four sticks perpendicular to one another. Distant objects could be marked out against the station of the stones in a horizontal plane.

Decline of the aqueducts

With the fall of the Roman Empire, although some of the aqueducts were deliberately cut by enemies, many more fell into disuse from the lack of an organized maintenance system. The lack of functioning aqueducts to deliver water had a large practical impact in reducing the population of the city of Rome from its high of over 1 million in ancient times to considerably less in the medieval era. Romulus Augustus, the last of the Western Roman Emperors. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ...

List of Roman aqueducts

Aqueducts in the city of Rome

In order to meet the massive water needs of its huge population, the city of Rome itself was supplied with 11 aqueducts. Their combined capacity was capable of supplying at least 1,127,220 cubic meters (nearly 300 million gallons) of water to the city each day. Detailed statistics for the city's aqueducts were logged around 97 by Sextus Julius Frontinus, the curator aquarum (superintendent of the aqueducts) for Rome during the reign of Nerva. Less information is known about aqueducts built after Frontinus. Centuries: 1st century BC - 1st century - 2nd century Decades: 0s BC - 0s - 10s - 20s - 30s - 40s - 50s - 60s - 70s - 80s - 90s - 100s Years: 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 Events Pope Evaristus succeeds Pope Clement I Tacitus advanced to consulship. ... Sextus Julius Frontinus (c. ... Marcus Cocceius Nerva (November 8, 30 –January 27, 98), Roman emperor (96–98), was a member of the Italian nobility rather than one of the elite of Rome; in this he was like Vespasian, the founder of the Flavian dynasty. ...

The Aqua Appia was the first ancient Roman aqueduct. ... Centuries: 5th century BC - 4th century BC - 3rd century BC Decades: 360s BC 350s BC 340s BC 330s BC 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 260s BC Years: 317 BC 316 BC 315 BC 314 BC 313 BC _ 312 BC _ 311 BC... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 320s BC 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 260s BC 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC Years: 277 BC 276 BC 275 BC 274 BC 273 BC 272 BC 271 BC 270 BC... Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 310s BC 300s BC 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC - 260s BC - 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 274 BC 273 BC 272 BC 271 BC 270 BC - 269 BC - 268 BC 267 BC 266... The Aqua Marcia was the longest of the 11 aqueducts that supplied the city of ancient Rome. ... Centuries: 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC Decades: 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC 160s BC 150s BC - 140s BC - 130s BC 120s BC 110s BC 100s BC 90s BC Years: 149 BC 148 BC 147 BC 146 BC 145 BC - 144 BC - 143 BC 142 BC... Centuries: 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC Decades: 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC 160s BC 150s BC - 140s BC - 130s BC 120s BC 110s BC 100s BC 90s BC Years: 145 BC 144 BC 143 BC 142 BC 141 BC - 140 BC - 139 BC 138 BC... Centuries: 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC - 1st century BC Decades: 170s BC 160s BC 150s BC 140s BC 130s BC - 120s BC - 110s BC 100s BC 90s BC 80s BC 70s BC Years: 130 BC 129 BC 128 BC 127 BC 126 BC - 125 BC - 124 BC 123 BC... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 80s BC 70s BC 60s BC 50s BC 40s BC - 30s BC - 20s BC 10s BC 0s 10s 20s Years: 38 BC 37 BC 36 BC 35 BC 34 BC 33 BC 32 BC 31 BC 30 BC 29 BC... The Aqua Virgo (also known as the Acqua Vergine) was one of the 11 aqueducts that supplied the city of ancient Rome, Italy. ... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 60s BC 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC - 10s BC - 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s Years: 24 BC 23 BC 22 BC 21 BC 20 BC 19 BC 18 BC 17 BC 16 BC 15 BC 14 BC... Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC 10s BC - 0s BC - 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s 7 BC 6 BC 5 BC 4 BC 3 BC 2 BC 1 BC 1 2 3 4 Events Births Deaths Gaius and... Aqua Claudia (Latin, literally the Claudian water) was an aqueduct which like the Anio Novus was begun by Caligula in 38 A.D. and completed by Claudius in 52¹. Its main springs, the Caeruleus and Curtius, were situated 300 paces to the left of the thirty-eighth milestone of the... For alternate uses, see Number 38. ... For other uses, see number 52. ... Anio Novus (named after a river Anio at the forty-second mile of the Via Sublacensis from which the water was taken originally) is an aqueduct, which, like the Aqua Claudia, was begun by Caligula in 38 A.D.¹ and completed in 52 by Claudius, who dedicated them both on... For alternate uses, see Number 38. ... For other uses, see number 52. ... Events Tacitus completes The Annales of Imperial Rome. ... Events: Accession of Wei Mingdi as emperor of the Kingdom of Wei of China. ...

Other locations

Segovia, Spain. Roman aqueduct.

Aqueduct of Valens, Istanbul, Turkey

The Romans built aqueducts in most sufficiently large cities in the Empire. Their remains (in some cases still functioning) may be found today in many places, including: Download high resolution version (1201x545, 97 KB)Roman aqueduct at Segovia, Spain. ... Download high resolution version (1201x545, 97 KB)Roman aqueduct at Segovia, Spain. ... Comarca Capital and Metropolitan Area Province Segovia Autonomous community Castilla y León Postal code 40001-40006 Coordinate systems  - Latitude:  - Longitude 40°57 N 4°10 0 Surface 1636 km² Altitude 1002 m Distance 87 km from Madrid 111 km from Valladolid Population  - Total (2004)  - Density 55. ... Image File history File links Aquaduct_of_Valens. ... Image File history File links Aquaduct_of_Valens. ... Flavius Julius Valens (Latin: IMP·CAESAR·FLAVIVS·IVLIVS·VALENS·AVGVSTVS) (328 – August 9, 378) was Roman emperor from 364 until his death, after he was given the Eastern part of the empire by his brother Valentinian I. His father was the general Gratian the Elder. ... Satellite image of Istanbul and the Bosphorus Istanbul (Turkish: Ä°stanbul) is Turkeys largest city, and its cultural and economic center. ...

• The Pont du Gard in southern France
• Barbegal aqueduct, France
• Eifel aqueduct, Germany
• Caesarea Palaestina, Israel
• Segovia, Spain
• Mérida, Spain
• Tarragona, Spain
• Almuñécar, Spain (5 aqueducts - 4 still in use)
• Valens aqueduct, Istanbul, Turkey
• Aspendos, Turkey
• Aqua Augusta, Italy
• Aqueduct of Hadrian, Tunisia

Pont du Gard, France The Pont du Gard is an aqueduct in the south of France constructed by the Roman Empire, and located near Remoulins, in the Gard département. ... The route of the Eifel aqueduct, with its average slope. ... Caesarea Palaestina, also called Caesarea Maritima, a town built by Herod the Great about 25 - 13 BC, lies on the sea-coast of Israel about halfway between Tel Aviv and Haifa, on the site of a place previously called Pyrgos Stratonos (Strato or Stratons Tower, in Latin Turris Stratonis). ... Comarca Capital and Metropolitan Area Province Segovia Autonomous community Castilla y León Postal code 40001-40006 Coordinate systems  - Latitude:  - Longitude 40°57 N 4°10 0 Surface 1636 km² Altitude 1002 m Distance 87 km from Madrid 111 km from Valladolid Population  - Total (2004)  - Density 55. ... Roman Theater Mérida is the capital of the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain. ... Tarragona Ampitheatre Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia, Spain, by the Mediterranean Sea. ... Almuñécar Playa Velilla Promenade and Hotel Helios, Playa San Cristobal, Almuñécar Excavated ruins of the Phoenecian fish salting factory within the Majuelo Park The Roman aqueduct at Torrecuevas near the source of the Rio Verde about 4 km north of Almuñécar The Roman aqueduct in the Rio... Valens aqueduct The Valens aqueduct (Turkish: BozdoÄŸan Kemeri) is an aqueduct in the European part of Istanbul, Turkey constructed by the Romans during the 4th century. ... Satellite image of Istanbul and the Bosphorus Istanbul (Turkish: Ä°stanbul) is Turkeys largest city, and its cultural and economic center. ... Aspendos is known for his best-preserved theater of antiquity with seating for 15000. ... In Roman times, the Aqua Agusta was one of the aqueducts supplying 8 cities around Pompeii with water. ...

See also

• Aqueduct
• Roman architecture

Pont du Gard, France, a Roman aqueduct built circa 19 BC. It is one of Frances top tourist attractions and a World Heritage Site. ... The Romans adopted the external language of classical Greek architecture for their own purposes, which were so different from Greek buildings as to create a new architectural style. ...

External links

• Sextus Julius Frontinus, De Aquaeductu Urbis Romae (On the water management of the city of Rome), Translated by R. H. Rodgers, 2003, University of Vermont
• Waters of the City of Rome -- provides sophisticated maps and images
• Imperial Rome Water Systems
• Roman Aqueducts Today
• Lacus Curtius entry on Roman waterworks
• 600 roman aqueducts with 25 descriptions in detail
• ((Italian)) Map of Roman aqueducts

Sextus Julius Frontinus (c. ...

References

• Coarelli, Filippo, Guida Archeologica di Roma, Arnoldo Mondadori Editore, Milano, 1989.
• Claridge, Amanda, Rome: An Oxford Archaeological Guide, Oxford University Press, New York, 1998.