176

HISTORY OF ENGINEERING.

Book I.

The reservoirs, attached to most of the aqueducts for cleansing and filtering the waters,were constructed and attended to with the greatest care. The emperor Nerva formed manydeep reservoirs by the sides of the aqueducts, to collect the sediment in its passage, and alsoordered that the Aqua Marcia should not be used for any other purposes but that of beve-rage, it being the coolest as well as most transparent of the waters brought to Rome.

When these structures required repair in the first instance slaves were employed, 240being engaged by Agrippa for that purpose. In the time of Claudius, regular fountaineerswere appointed, to the number of 460 persons, distributed into overlookers, keepers of thecastellum, stone-cutters, masons, plasterers, stuccoers, and others. The works were con-ducted in the winter, it being thought that the heat of summer would occasion the masonryto dry too fast for its solidity.

In Rome every house had its fountain, and the water laid on, for the use«of the inhabit-ants, and it was not considered that a dwelling was fit to receive a tenant, however humblehis lot, unless it was provided with an abundant supply of water — an instance of consider-ation worthy the imitation of modern times.

Aqua Alsietijia , in length 22,172 paces, was brought by Augustus to Rome; the waterwas of a quality only fitted for the purposes of irrigation, being considered unwhole-some to drink. 358 arches formed a part of its construction.

Aqua Aniene nuovo and Claudia are carried over the Porta Maggiore on two stone arches,highly decorated ; the water of the Anio Novus flows above that of Claudia, as indicatedin the section.

Fig. 203.

SECTION.

The front, which is situated on the Via Pramestina and Labicana, exhibits the followingthree inscriptions.

TI. CLAUDIUS DRUSI F. CAISAR AUGUSTUS GERMANICUS PONTIF. MAXIM.

TRIBUNICIA TOTESTATE XII. COS. V. IMPERATOR XXVH. PATER PATRIAEQUAS CLAUDIAM EX FONTIBVS QUI VOCABANTUR CAERVLEUS ET CURTIUS MILLIARIO XXXXV.ITEM ANIENEM NOVUM A MILLIARIO LXII. SUA IMPENSA IN URBEM PERDUCENDAS CUKAY1T.IMP. CAISAR VESPASIANUS AUGUST. TONTIF. MAX. TRIB. POT. II. IMP. VI. COS. III. DESIG. I1II. I*.P.AQUAS CUIITIUM ET CAERULEAM. PERDUCTAS A DIVO CLAUDIO ET POSTEA INTERMISSAS DILAPSASQUEPER ANNOS NOV EM SUA IMPENSA URBI REST1TU1T.

IMP. T. CAISAR DIVI F. VESPASIANUS AUGUSTUS PONTIFEX MAXIMUS. TIUBUNIC.POTESTATE X. IMPERATOR XVII. PATER PATRIAE CENSOR COS. VIII.

AQUAS CURTIUM ET CAERVLEAM PERDUCTAS A DIVO CLAUDIO ET POSTEAA DIVO VESPASIANO PATRE SUO URBI RESTITUTAS CUM A CAPITE AQUARUM A SOI.O VETUSTATEDILAPSAE ESSENT NOVA FORMA REDUCENDAS SUA IMPENSA CURAVJT.

Alexander Severus embellished Rome with many stately buildings and magnificent por-ticoes. Near Labicana, four miles from the city, arc the remains of an aqueduct winch

Fig. 204. ALEXANDRINA.

IS

conveyed the water called Alexandrina to Rome. This emperor was murdered a. d. 235,and left this fine specimen of construction for our admiration. lie was accomplished, foiul