Aqua Claudia Aqueduct

You’re now walking beneath an arch of the Aqua Claudia, the ancient Roman aqueduct that once brought fresh water to the city. Construction was completed under the reign of – you guessed it – Claudius, the fourth Roman emperor. In 60 AD, Nero had it expanded, so that it could supply water to all 14 regions of Rome. The water came from three springs in the valley of the Aniene River, a tributary of the Tiber River. The aqueduct supplied good-quality drinking water not only to the Palatine Hill, but also to the Aventine and Caelian Hills, as well as to the Trastevere district on the other side of the Tiber River. This 68-meter-long aqueduct reached a maximum height of 90 meters, and was thus able to supply water even to the Quirinal Hill, the highest and southernmost of Rome’s hills. At the time, water flow was measured in units called quinaria, and water was thus fairly distributed to all via 92 water towers. 20% was allocated to the emperor, 48% to private individuals, and 32% for public use, that is for entertainment venues, ponds and military camps. You can only see a small part of the aqueduct here, but know that many of its arches still dot the Roman countryside, standing as testaments to the area’s rich past.