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
“Afterwards Caius Cæsar, (Caligula,) who succeeded Tiberius,
considered seven aqueducts scarcely sufficient for public
purposes and private amusements, and began two new aqueducts in
the second year of his rule as Emperor, when Aquilius Julianus
and P. Nonius Asprenas were consuls (i.e. A.D. 38), in the year
of Rome 789, which work Claudius in a most splendid manner
finished and dedicated, on the calends of August, in the year
of the city 803 (i.e. A.D. 52), when Sulla and Titianus were
consuls[116].
“To one, which was brought from the springs of Cæruleus and
Curtius, the name of _Claudia_ was given. This one is next in
order of excellence to the Marcian.
“The other, because two streams of the Anio had begun to flow
into the city, so that they should be more easily distinguished
by their names, began to be called _Anio Novus_. It ruins all
the others[117]. To the former Anio the cognomen of _Vetus_ was
added[118].
“The Anio Novus and Claudia are carried from the _piscinæ_ upon
higher[119] arches, so that the Anio is the highest of the two.
Their arches come to an end after the Pallantian Gardens, and
thence they are carried down in pipes for the use of the city.
“But first of all the Claudia transfers a part of its water
on to the arches which are called the Neronian, at the _Spes
(Specus) Vetus_. These, being continued in a direct line
along the Mons Cœlius, are terminated close to the temple of
Claudius. They disperse the quantity which they had received
either about the ‘Mons Cœlius’ itself, or in the Palatine, in
the Aventine and the Transtiberine Region[120].”
VIII. THE CLAUDIA.
“The Claudia begins on the Via Sublacensis[121], at the
thirty-eighth milestone, about 300 yards off the road towards
the left. There are two very large and beautiful springs,
one called Cæruleus, from its blue appearance, the other
Curtius[122]. It receives also the spring which is called
Albudinus, of such excellence, that when there is need of
adding it to the Marcia, the latter loses none of its quality
by the addition. The spring of the Aqua Augusta, because the
Marcian seemed to be sufficient for itself, was turned aside
into the Claudian; nevertheless it was retained as a protection
for the Marcian, but so that the Augustan might be added to
the Claudian, if the channel of the Marcian was not capable of
receiving it[123].
“The channel of the Claudia is 46 miles, 406 paces in length;
of this, 36 miles, 230 paces is by a subterranean course: on
work above ground 10 miles, 176 paces, and out of this on
arched work, in many places in the upper part, 3 miles, 76
paces; and near the city from the seventh milestone, by a
substructure of channels for 609 paces, on arched work 6 miles,
491 paces[124].
“The Claudian was the second in height as to level[125].”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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