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LESSON
PLAN

ANCIENT ROMAN
WATER SYSTEMS


Purpose:

To understand the impact that ancient and modern municipal water systems have on the quality of life


Preparation:
  1. The following resources are available at this website:
  2. Suggested additional reading:
    • Smith, Norman, 1978. "Roman Hydraulic Technology,:Scientific American, 238:154-161

Suggested Lesson Development

Attention Activities:

Discuss Frontinus's statement about the aqueducts of Rome: "...with such an array of indispensible structures carrying so many waters, compare if you will, the idle Pyramids or the useless, though famous work of the Greeks."

Discussions:

List the pluses and minuses of ancient Roman water supply systems

Pluses:

  • Large quantities of water
  • Understood the need for unpolluted water sources
  • Structures were well engineered
  • Surplus water helped flushed their urban drains

Minuses:

  • Not a lot of water storage
  • Few abodes had running water; for most, water had to be carried from a nearby (?) fountain
  • Taps/faucets were rarely used

Compare to contemporary municipal water systems

Contemporary water systems have:

  • Enough storage to meet daily fluctuations in demand
  • Water treatment plants
  • Pressure pipes
  • Connections to individual homes, apartments, etc.
  • Water supplied on demand from a tap/faucet

Ancient Roman systems

  • The lack of individual connections tended to encourage Romans to spend more time outside their abodes, in the streets and entertainment centers of Rome.

 
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