Rome for centuries has obtained its water supply from the Tiber and springs along its left bank and later from such Apennine sources as the Apple, the Anio Vetus, Aqua Tepula and Lams Abietintis and from such springs as fed the Aqua Virgo, Aqua Marcia and Aqua Claudia sod from the R1vus Herculancus. The Aquia Trajana drew its waters from springs west of Lams Sabatinusi, whose polluted waters con taminated those of the aqueduct. Aqua Alex andrina drew its waters from springs that now sop* Aqua Felice. The Aqua Marcia drew its waters from numberless springs, discovered Isy Martins in 145 A.c Most of the longer aqueducts were partially ‘tibtrrranran and sonic have entirely disappeared From Aqueducts of Ancient Rome,' by John Henry Parker, the following important facts are derived as to the water supply of Rome, one of the problems for engineers to solve.
In the time of Nerva and Trajan from 94 to 107 A.D. Sextus Frontinus was water commissioner of Rome and has left a report of some of its remarkable works. At that time he says nine aqueducts entered the city, namely, (t) Aqua Apple; (u) Aqua Vents; (rti) Aqua Marcia; (tv) Aqua Tepula; (v) Aqua Julia; (vt) Aqua Virgo; (vn) Aqua Alsietina; (vitt) Aqua Claudia, and (ix) Aqua Novus. Seven were constructed later, namely, (x) Aqua Sab batina, A.D. 110; (xt) Aqua Trajana, A.D. 133; (xn) Aqua Amelia, A.D. 185; (xtrt) Aqua Severiana, A.D. 190; (am) Aqua Antoniniana, A.ts 215; (xv) Aqua Alexandrian, A.D. 225; (xvt) Aqua Algenttana, A.D. 300. In the Middle Ages two more were constructed, namely, (xmu) Aqua Carbra and Marrana, A.D. 1124, and (xvnt) Aqua Felice. Some of these are also known by other names, namely (vu) Aqua Claudia as Cerulca; (tx) Aqua Novus as Attica; (xvn) Aqua Crabra and Marrana as Herculea• (r) Aqua Appia as Augustea; (ix) Aqua Claudia, or (x) Sabbatina as Ciminia and Cloaca Maxima as Damnata, which forms the lake of Curtius.
The Roman engineers so constructed con duits that they had frequent openings and angular turns with possible intercepting bars or baffles to check the flow of matter in sus pension and thereby rid the water of some of Its impurities, which, except those brought by the Paola (or ancient Sabatina) aqueduct, were few on account of its Apennine and edict sources. There were many piscine or castella aqua or reservoirs, where sedimentation and some filtration took place and visible foreign matter was removed. The Romans had many thermic and fully understood the importance of pure water. The Piscine Mirabilis at Bair is well preserved, which place the author visited in 1905.
William P. Mason in his (Water Supply' quotes a passage from Pliny's 'Natural His tory) which has been translated as follows: 'Among the blessings conferred on the city by the bounty of the gods is the water of the Marcia, the cleanest of all the waters in the world, distinguished for coolness and salubrity.' The Romans bad such baths as those of Cara calla, Diocletian and Titus where they repaired for hot and cold baths, for hygienic exercises and where they enraged in the discussion of political, philosophical and other topics. They gave munch consideration to their water They built aqueducts to bring water from dis tant mountain sources. that have been the ad miration of later ages. Modern Rome has a daily supply of 65,000,000 gallons obtained largely through the Vergine, Felice, Paolo and Pia (or ancient Marcia) aqueducts and from springs The Vergine aqueduct is 11.8 miles long and daily conveys its 1408 minion gallons of spring water 70 feet above sea-level, dis charging it in Rome 66 feet above sea le% el. The Felice aqueduct daily conacys its 4.a mil lion gallons of spring water, the intake being 217 feet above sea-level, 22 miles from Rome, the aqueduct running over arche, 625 miles and the remainder of the distance underground and delivers its waters 202 feet above sea-level. The Paolo aqueduct daily draws 17.6 million gallons from Lake Bracciano, 538 feet above sea-level and from springs in Manziano, Brac ciano and Ficarello 32.33 miles from Rome and delivers its supply partly in Rome at an eleva tion of 246 feet above sea-level to supply the fountains of the Piazza Saint Pietro and partly to supply the town of Leonina. The Pia or Marcia aqueduct, 33 miles long, is fed by a number of springs near Subiaco 1,000 feet above sea-level. It follows that valley of the Anio to Tivoli and conveys 27 or more million gallons daily into the ancient Varo reservoir, having a capacity of 214,000 gallons and being 578 feet above sea-level, and thence to Rome. The water is conducted through three cast-iron pipes 24 inches in diameter into different parts of Rome, It also derives some of its waters from springs nearer Rome than the above sources. Its nu merous fountains are supplied with waters con ducted through some of the old aqueducts, whose names have undergone some change, as above stated, in consequence of the discovery of additional sources by various emperors and the connection thereof with the old aqueducts. The poorer qualities of water were used for fountains, public baths and other non-potable municipal purposes.