This article lists ancient Roman aqueducts in the city of Rome.
This article lists ancient Roman aqueducts in the city of Rome.
In order to meet the massive water needs of its huge population, the city of Rome was eventually supplied with 11 aqueducts by 226 AD, which were some of the city's greatest engineering achievements. Their combined capacity was capable of supplying at least 1,127,000 m3 (nearly 300 million gallons)[citation needed] of water to the city each day mostly from the Aniene river and the Apennine Mountains, serving a million citizens. Detailed statistics[1] for the city's aqueducts were logged around 97 AD 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.
These estimates may not have considered water loss. Modern engineers have questioned the validity of these figures and measured Anio Novus limestone deposits to estimate the average wetted perimeter and surface roughness corresponding to only 2/3 of the flow figure given below.[2]
| Name | Year begun | Year completed | Length (km) |
Height at source (m) |
Height in Rome (m) |
Average gradient (%) |
Capacity (m³ a day)[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aqua Appia | 312 BC | 16.5 | 30 | 20 | 0.06 | 73,000 | |
| Aqua Anio Vetus | 272 BC | 269 BC | 64 | 280 | 48 | 0.36 | 176,000 |
| Aqua Marcia | 144 BC | 140 BC | 91 | 318 | 59 | 0.28 | 188,000 |
| Aqua Tepula | 125 BC | 18 | 151 | 61 | 0.51 | 18,000 | |
| Aqua Julia | 33 BC | 22 | 350 | 64 | 1.32 | 48,000 | |
| Aqua Virgo | 19 BC | 21 | 24 | 20 | 0.02 | 100,000 | |
| Aqua Alsietina | 2 BC | 33 | 209 | 17 | 0.59 | 16,000 (not drinkable) | |
| Aqua Anio Novus | 38 AD | 52 AD | 87 | 400 | 70 | 0.38 | 189,000 |
| Aqua Claudia | 38 AD | 52 AD | 69 | 320 | 67 | 0.37 | 184,000 |
| Aqua Traiana | 109 AD | 33 | - | - | - | ||
| Aqua Alexandrina | 226 AD | 22 | - | 50 | - | 120,000 to 320,000 |
