Aqua Claudia ("theClaudian water") was an ancientRoman aqueduct that, like theAqua Anio Novus, was begun by EmperorCaligula (37–41 AD) in 38 AD and finished by EmperorClaudius (41–54 AD) in 52 AD[1]: 187 [2]: §1.13 (p. 352-355 .
It was the eighth aqueduct to supply Rome and together withAqua Anio Novus,Aqua Anio Vetus andAqua Marcia, it is regarded as one of the "four great aqueducts of Rome".[3]
The aqueduct went through at least two major repairs.Tacitus suggests that the aqueduct was in use by AD 47[4]: §11.13 (p. 268-9) .An inscription from the time of emperorVespasian suggests that Aqua Claudia was used for ten years, then failed and was out of use for nine years.[5]The first repairs took place during the reign ofVespasian in 71 AD[1]: 187 .The aqueduct was repaired again in 81 AD by emperorTitus[6][1]: 187 .Additionally, brick stamps from 123 AD testify to some restorations during the rule of emperorHadrian[6].Honorary inscriptions from the 5th century show that repairs were done during the rule ofArcadius and the rule ofHonorius too[1]: 188 .Later repairs were made byBelisarius during the 6th century, and the popeAdrian I during the 8th century[1]: 188 .
Alexander Severus reinforced the arches of Nero (CIL VI.1259) where they are calledarcus Caelimontani, including the line of arches across the valley between the Caelian and the Palatine[7].
The church ofSan Tommaso in Formis was later built into the side of the aqueduct[citation needed].
Its mainsprings, the Caeruleus and Curtius, were situated near the 38th milestone of theVia Sublacensis[6][8]: 150 .
The total length was approximately 69 kilometres (43 mi)[6], most of which was underground[citation needed]. The flow was about 185,000 m3 (6,500,000 cu ft) in 24 hours -- ca. 2.3 m3/s (80 cu ft/s)[6]. Directly after its filtering tank, near the seventh mile of theVia Latina, it finally emerged onto arches, which increase in height as the ground falls toward the city, reaching over 30 metres (100 ft)[citation needed].
It is one of the two ancient aqueducts that flowed through thePorta Maggiore, the other being theAqua Anio Novus[8]: 150 . It is described in some detail byFrontinus in his work published in the later 1st century,De aquaeductu[6][8]: 150 .
Nero extended the aqueduct with the Arcus Neroniani from (Spes Vetus on) the Esquiline hill to theCaelian hill[7] andDomitian further extended it to thePalatine[9], after which the Aqua Claudia could provide all14 Roman districts with water[7]. The section on the Caelian hill was calledarcus Caelimontani[7].
Visible remaining bridges include the Ponte sul Fosso della Noce, Ponte San Antonio, Ponte delle Forme Rotte, Ponte dell`Inferno, Ponte Barucelli.
The bridge has a single arch inopus quadratum, reinforced in the late period in brickwork. Thespecus (channel) is about 1 m wide and is also built in opus quadratum, but with a very porous stone which is locally found as a layer immediately above the tuff on which the bridge rests.
The Ponte Barucelli (also known as Ponte Diruto) is made up of two monumental bridges 8 m apart for the aqua Claudia (to the north) the Anio Novus (to the south) to cross the Acqua Nera stream. Both date to between 38 and 52 AD. They were later strengthened with buttresses and reinforcements, becoming two huge continuous and connected structures.
The Anio Novus bridge, about 85 m long and about 10 m wide, has a few small arches except for the main high and narrow one for the Acqua Nera. It had originally been built of tuff in opus quadratum. In the second half of the 1st century it was reinforced in opus mixtum, visible at the two east end buttresses. At the beginning of the 3rd century nine rectangular buttresses were added at regular intervals on the north side while on the south side only three were added near the bed of the stream, later increased by five on the west bank in poor opus latericium and two on the east in opus mixtum.
Later the two bridges were connected by three brick arches and with buttresses.
Media related toAqua Claudia at Wikimedia Commons
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