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@ THEDAILYEAGLE
2025-06-17 05:31:23
🟢 THE AQUA APPIA AND HUMAN NATURE
“For 441 years from the founding of the City, the Romans were satisfied with the use of whatever water they drew from the Tiber, from wells, or from springs. To this day springs are revered for their sanctity, and their water is thought to bring health to sick bodies. One thinks of the ancient springs of the Camenae, of the . . ., and of Juturna. There are now, however, nine aqueducts from which water converges into Rome. These are named Appia, Anio Vetus, Marcia, Tepula, Julia, Virgo, Alsietina (which is also called Augusta), Claudia, and Anio Novus.
In the consulship of Marcus Valerius Maximus and Publius Decius Mus [312 B.C.E.], thirty years after the beginning of the Samnite War, the Aqua Appia was brought into the City by the censor Appius Claudius (later called "the Blind"). In that year the same man also had charge of constructing the Appian Road from Porta Capena as far as the city of Capua. Appius' colleague in the censorship was Gaius Plautius, called Venox for having discovered the veins of this water.
But Plautius resigned from the censorship before the eighteen months' term had elapsed, deceived by Appius who pretended he would do likewise, and so the name of the aqueduct fell to the credit of Appius alone. Indeed, Appius is reported to have extended his censorship by many subterfuges, until he could complete both the road and the aqueduct.”
Sextus Julius Frontinus, De Aquis
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