170

HISTORY OF ENGINEERING.

Book I.

The Anio Vetus , about the year 481 from the foundation of the city, was commenced byM. Curius Dentatus, and the expenses defrayed by the spoils taken from Pyrrhus . The

Fig. 191.

VETUS AND CLAUDIA

water was drawn from the Anio, above Tivoli, and the whole work was completed some timeafter the death of Dentatus, by his successor F. Flaccus. 'Die total length of this aqueductwas 43,000 Roman paces, 221 of which were subterranean.

These two aqueducts in the year 608 from the foundation of the city needing con-siderable repairs, the Praetor Marius was directed to perform them, and to conduct a furthersupply from the neighbourhood of Subiaco, situated among the mountains 20 miles beyondTivoli: the water of the Anio was there found in a purer state, and less contaminatedwith earthy matter. The length of this aqueduct was 61,710 Roman paces, 7463 aboveground, and the remainder 54,247 subterranean. Where streams or valleys were crossed,arches were constructed which measured 463 paces.

The Aqua Appia, was the first brought to Rome, in the consulship of Valerius Maximus and P. Decius, in the year of Rome, 442. Appius Claudius directed this w’ork during the timethat Crassus was censor. This aqueduct commenced in Agro Lucullano, on the PramestineWay, between the sixth and eighth mile stone, turning on the left 780 paces; its lengthfrom its head to the Salinas, at the Trigemenian gate, was 11,190 paces. It was conductedunderground for 11,130 paces, and the whole was arched over. Above ground it wascarried for a distance of 60 paces, (but of this no traces now remain,) to the Capuan gate,where it united with the old Anio, at the confines of the gardens of Torquatianus.

The Aqua Virgo was introduced a few years afterwards, and some portions of it may betraced, crossing the three roads, which lead from the gates of Lorenzo, Pia, and Salara.

Fig. 192.

AQUA V1KGO.