The archæology of Rome, Part 8 : $b The aqueductsParker, John Henry
History
The archæology of Rome, Part 8 : $b The aqueducts
Parker, John Henry
Rome -- Antiquities
Frontinus, who wrote in the time of Nerva and Trajan, mentions (as we
have seen) nine aqueducts[202], reckoning as distinct several branches,
or additional channels, subordinate to others more important. There is
one more important record to which reference has not hitherto been made,
namely, the summary at the end of the _Curiosum_ and _Notitia_, in which
nineteen are enumerated.
The entry in the Summary of the Regionary Catalogue is as follows:—
Aquæ XIX.
I. Traiana [X.]
II. Annia (or Anio Vetus?) [II.]
III. Attica (Anio Novus) [IX.]
IV. Marcia [III.]
V. Claudia [VIII.]
VI. Herculea [XVII. Almo?]
VII. Cerulea [IX.]
VIII. Julia [V.]
IX. Augustea [I.]
X. Appia [I.]
XI. Alseatina [VII.]
XII. Ciminia (?).
XIII. Aurelia [XII.]
XIV. Damnata (Cloaca Maxima?).
XV. Virgo [VI.]
XVI. Tepula [IV.]
XVII. Severiana [XIII.]
XVIII. Antoniana [XIV.]
XIX. Alexandrina [XV.]
Those not previously mentioned are (1.) Attica, (2.) Herculea, (3.)
Cerulea, (4.) Augustea, (5.) Ciminia, (6.) Damnata.
1. Attica is supposed by Fabretti to be the same as Alseatina [VII.], but
then how is the number of nineteen to be made up? It was probably the
Anio Novus, as already described. [See IX.]
2. Herculea. This is mentioned by Frontinus[203] as receiving a part
of the Aqua Marcia after its entrance into the city[204]. Another
stream of the same name, thirty-eight miles from the city, was added to
the Anio Novus[205]; but it seems most probable that the stream here
intended is the Almo, which enters Rome under the Porta Metronia, and
conveys the water of the Marrana, or Aqua Crabra, coming from these two
mountain-streams united, as already described. This is always a very
strong stream. It follows the line of the aqueducts for miles towards
Rome, and received the surplus water in many places, where there were
_piscinæ_; it passes very near to the point where the aqueducts enter
Rome at the Porta Maggiore, and may very well have received the surplus
water there also of the Marcia, as stated by Frontinus.
3. Cerulea. This is the name of one of the branches of the Claudia, among
its sources, and is mentioned in the inscription at the Porta Maggiore;
but again, this does not account for one of the nineteen Aquæ.
4. Augustea. A stream was added to the Aqua Marcia by Augustus, and
called after him[206]; but that would not account for another stream in
Rome here indicated as one of the nineteen Aquæ. It is more probable that
the water here intended is the Augustan branch of the Aqua Appia, which
was united at the Gemelli within the outer wall of Rome. Frontinus (c.
4), indeed, mentions that the Alseatina was also called Augustea, but
that would not account for another of the nineteen streams[207].
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