List of aqueducts in the city of Rome

For an overview of ancient aqueducts outside Rome, see List of aqueducts in the Roman Empire. For a chronological listing of aqueducts in Rome from antiquity to present, see List of Roman aqueducts by date.

This page lists ancient Roman aqueducts in the city of Rome.

Introduction

In order to meet the massive water needs of its huge population, the city of Rome itself was supplied with 11 aqueducts. Their combined capacity was capable of supplying at least 1,127,220 cubic meters (nearly 300 million gallons) of water to the city each day from the Apennine mountains. Detailed statistics for the city's aqueducts were logged around 97 by Sextus Julius Frontinus, the curator aquarum (superintendent of the aqueducts) for Rome during the reign of Nerva. Less information is known about aqueducts built after Frontinus.

These estimates may not have considered water loss. Modern engineers questioning the validity of these figures measured Anio Novus limestone deposits to estimate the average wetted perimeter and surface roughness corresponding to only 2/3 of the flow figure given below.

Table

Aqueducts in Rome

Name	Year begun	Year completed	Length (km)	Height at source (m)	Height in Rome (m)	Average gradient (%)	Capacity (m³ a day)
Aqua Appia	312 BC	312 BC	16.561	30	20	0.06	73,000
Anio Vetus	272 BC	269 BC	63.64	280	48	0.36	175,929
Aqua Marcia	144 BC	140 BC	91.424	318	59	0.28	187,600
Aqua Tepula	125 BC	125 BC	17.745	151	61	0.51	17,800
Aqua Julia	33 BC	33 BC	21.677	350	64	1.32	48,240
Aqua Virgo	19 BC	19 BC	20.697	24	20	0.02	100,160
Aqua Alsietina	2 BC (disputed)	2 BC	32.815	209	17	0.59	15,680 (not drinkable)
Aqua Claudia	38 AD	52 AD	68.681	320	67	0.37	184,280
Anio Novus	38 AD	52 AD	86.876	400	70	0.38	189,520
Aqua Traiana	109 AD	109 AD	32.500	-	-	-
Aqua Alexandrina	226 AD	226 AD	22	-	50	-	120.000 to 320.000

See also

• Aqueduct
• Roman aqueduct
• List of aqueducts