Where the most ancient aqueducts were built. What is an aqueduct and what is its role in the history of the Ancient World? Aqueducts in Russia
Story
Although aqueducts are most associated with the Romans, they were invented centuries earlier in the Middle East, where the Babylonians and Egyptians built complex irrigation systems. Roman-style aqueducts were used as early as the 7th century BC. e. , when the Assyrians built a limestone aqueduct 10 meters high and 300 meters long to carry water across the valley to their capital, Nineveh; the total length of the aqueduct was 80 kilometers.
Aqueducts of Ancient Rome
The Romans built numerous aqueducts to transport water to cities and industrial sites. The city of Rome itself was supplied with water through 11 aqueducts, which were built over 500 years and had a total length of almost 350 kilometers. However, only 47 kilometers of them were unsurfaced: most were underground (the Eifel Aqueduct in Germany is a very well-preserved example of this). The longest Roman aqueduct was built in the 2nd century AD to supply water to Carthage (now located in modern Tunisia), its length was 141 kilometers.
During construction, advanced building materials were used, such as waterproof pozzolanic concrete.
Roman aqueducts were extremely complex structures, technologically they were not obsolete even 1000 years after the fall of the Roman Empire. They were built with remarkable precision: the Pont du Gard aqueduct in Provence had a slope of only 34 cm per kilometer (1:3000), descending only 17 meters vertically over its entire length of 50 kilometers.
Transporting water by gravity alone was very efficient: 20,000 cubic meters of water per day passed through the Pont du Gard. Sometimes, when crossing surface depressions with a difference of more than 50 meters, pressure water pipelines were created - siphons (although almost always the insides of bridges were used for these purposes). Modern hydraulic engineering uses similar techniques to allow sewers and water pipes to cross various depressions.
Further development of the aqueduct system
Most of The experience of Roman engineers was lost during the Dark Ages, and in Europe the construction of aqueducts practically ceased until the 19th century. Water was often obtained by digging wells, although this could cause public health problems when the local water supply became polluted.
One notable exception was New river, an artificial waterway in England opened in the year to supply London with fresh drinking water. Its length was 62 kilometers. The development of canals gave a new impetus to the construction of aqueducts. However, only in XIX century their construction resumed on a large scale to supply water to rapidly growing cities and industrial places in need of water. The development of new materials (such as concrete and cast iron) and new technologies (such as the steam engine) allowed for many significant improvements. For example, cast iron allowed the construction of large siphons loaded with greater pressure, and the creation of steam-powered pumps made it possible to significantly increase the speed and volume of water flow.
In the 19th century, England became a leading power in the construction of aqueducts, providing water to its largest cities such as Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool. The largest aqueducts were built in the United States to supply water to the most big cities of this country. The Catskill Aqueduct carried water 120 miles to New York City, but this achievement was eclipsed by aqueducts as far away as far west country, most notably the Colorado River Aqueduct, which supplied water to Los Angeles and the surrounding area from a distance of 400 kilometers to the east. Although such aqueducts are undoubtedly great technical achievements, great amount The water they carried led to serious environmental damage resulting from the depletion of rivers.
Aqueducts in Russia
Rostokinsky aqueduct in Moscow
see also
Notes
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
See what a “Roman aqueduct” is in other dictionaries:
Aqueduct- Aqueduct. (Rostokinsky in Moscow). AQUEDUCT (from the Latin aqua water and duco lead), a structure in the form of a bridge or overpass with a water conduit (pipe, channel, channel) supplying water to populated areas, irrigation and other systems from those located above... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
aqueduct- >,). /> Roman aqueduct at Caesarea (,). Roman aqueduct in Caesarea (,). aqueduct (conducting water) water supply system (,) for supplying populated areas with water (, .). The most notable part of the water pipeline (), which was laid over... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary of World History
This term has other meanings, see Aqueduct (meanings). Pont du Gard, France, an ancient Roman aqueduct that has survived to this day, one of the most visited tourist places in France... Wikipedia
- (Latin, from aquae ductus, aqua water, and duco lead). 1) water supply system, mainly ancient Roman. 2) in technology, a bridge that serves not for passage, but for the passage of water. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910.… … Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
Map of the passage of the Eifel aqueduct (red line) The Eifel aqueduct is one of the longest aqueducts of the Roman and ... Wikipedia
Aqueduct- (Latin Aquaeductus, from aqua - water and duco - I lead) a conduit (canal, pipe) for supplying water to populated areas, irrigation and hydropower systems from their sources located above them. An aqueduct is also called a part of a water pipeline in the form of... ... Architectural Dictionary
- (Tiberius Claudius Nero Germanicus, as Roman Emperor Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus) youngest son of Nero Q. Drusus, stepson of Augustus; genus. in Lyon in 10 BC. Sick and weak-willed by nature, he received a careless upbringing... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron
If in the past there was complete savagery, as historians tell us, then why were our “wild” ancestors able to build something that worked for centuries and did not collapse? And why do we, so smart and civilized, build houses that fall in just a few decades >WHO BUILT THE ROMAN AQUEDUCS?
Aqueduct (Latin Aquaeductus, from aqua - water and duco - lead) is a conduit for supplying water to populated areas and irrigation systems from sources located above them on the ground. An aqueduct is also called a part of a water pipeline in the form arch bridge over a ravine, river, road. Let's look at some of the most outstanding "Roman" aqueducts - real miracles of architecture and engineering. Ancient builders built aqueducts both underground and on its surface. Where it was necessary to carry aqueducts through ravines, rivers, or gorges, arched spans were built that had many tiers, which not only looked beautiful, but also ensured the strength and durability of the entire structure.
The Pont du Gard aqueduct (literally – “bridge over the Gard”) is located in the city of Nimes, in the south of France. Its length is 275 meters, height is 48 meters. Scientists do not have a clear answer about the time of construction of this aqueduct. Some believe that it was built in 19 BC, others - that in the middle of the 1st century AD.
The aqueduct was built from stone blocks, some of which weigh almost 6 tons, and laid on top of each other without mortar. The almost 50-kilometer structure stretches across very difficult terrain (through high hills and rivers).
The aqueduct in the part shown in the photo consists of 3 tiers located one above the other. The lower tier consists of 6 arches, each up to 20 meters high. There are 11 arches on the middle tier, and 35 more were built above them. The slope of the aqueduct is only 34 cm per kilometer (1:3000), and it descended only 17 meters vertically over its entire length of 50 km. In ancient times, the aqueduct was connected to a water intake with a 6-meter diameter, from which pipes diverged in 5 directions. Transporting water by gravity alone was very efficient: 20,000 cubic meters of water per day passed through the Pont du Gard.
It is interesting that by the 9th century the aqueduct was no longer used for its intended purpose and was turned into a bridge for carts (i.e. it worked for “only” 1000 years!). To pass markers Vehicle Some of the supports were hollowed out, which created a threat of collapse of the entire structure. In 1747 (another 750 years later), a modern bridge was built nearby, traffic along the Pont du Garou was gradually closed, and ancient monument by order of Napoleon III it was restored.
A very famous and stunningly beautiful aqueduct has been preserved in the city of Segovia, located in northern Spain. Its length is 728 m, height – 28 m. It is an above-ground section of an 18-kilometer water pipeline and consists of 166 arches. The slope of this aqueduct is 1%. Probably built in the 1st century AD.
No less majestic remains of a colossal aqueduct are still preserved in the city of Merida, located in western Spain. Its length is 840 m, height 25 m. The length of the entire water pipeline is almost 12 kilometers, and 73 pillars of varying degrees of destruction have survived to this day. Built, presumably, at the end of the 1st century. AD
When you see such beauty and monumentality that has served for thousands of years, the question immediately arises: who was able to design such complex structures from an engineering point of view? Who made the necessary, complex measurements and calculations? Who created the technology for such construction? And who could build all this?! Where did all of a sudden come from many thousands of engineers, craftsmen and workers of the highest qualifications who were able to implement very high quality, incomprehensibly accurate and reliable (for centuries!) objects, the like of which we are not able to build today?
According to modern historians, these three gigantic structures, located thousands of kilometers apart from each other, were built almost simultaneously. And they were built, as the “scientists” tell us, by slaves and legionnaires (soldiers). That's it, cheap and cheerful. The main thing is to bring in more slaves and legionnaires, and the most complex structures will grow like mushrooms after rain!
This simple version of the “scientists” can only be believed by those who know practically nothing and have no idea about anything, i.e. an ignorant person who is not at all interested in all this! And readers who have not forgotten how to use their minds will immediately understand that something is wrong here! Or rather, it’s not like that!!
If in the past there was complete savagery, as historians tell us, then why were our “wild” ancestors able to build something that worked for centuries and did not collapse? And why do we, so smart and civilized, build houses that fall down in just a few decades? Who is really wild and uneducated here? Why were “Roman” legionnaires with slaves able to build colossal objects that lasted 2000 years, while our dams collapse after 30-40 years? It turns out that the “Roman” legionnaires (ordinary soldiers) of those times were incomprehensibly smarter than today’s “docents with candidates”?
And another big question arises: where did the money come from for all this? No matter how big the “Roman” Empire was in the stories of historians, it is very difficult to believe that it was able to finance the construction of these colossuses. We read that the “Romans” fought all the time and supposedly conquered someone, and such events in themselves are very expensive! However, as we have already seen, at the same time the Empire built many high-quality roads, comfortable cities with baths, fountains, theaters and temples, as well as country villas, bridges and many other, small and large aqueducts in almost all conquered countries. Where can a continuously warring country get funds for construction around the world?
Let's look at some more aqueducts (or rather, at their above-ground parts), located, as we are told, in the westernmost provinces of the “Roman” Empire. Aqueduct in the province of Granada, the cities of Nerja, Cordoba, Malaga in southern Spain.
Very impressive aqueducts remain in the city of Sevilla in southern Spain, in the provinces of Huesca and Navarra in northern Spain, and in the city of Plasencia in western Spain.
An aqueduct in the city of Toledo in central Spain, in the city of Tarragona and in the province of Valencia in eastern Spain, and an aqueduct in Portugal.
We have listed here those wonderful hydraulic structures of antiquity (not all, of course), which are located in a small part of the “Roman” Empire - only on the Iberian Peninsula, without considering any North Africa, not Britain, not the Balkans, not the Middle East. And aqueducts were also built there. And what kind! For example, the Carthaginian Aqueduct in Tunisia, which was 132 km long and 20 m high. It crossed several valleys.
It is said to have been built at the beginning of the 2nd century. Or the Eifel aqueduct, located in Germany and supplying the city of Cologne with water, which it brought from the mountains at a distance of 130 km.
It dates back to the 1st century AD. (another mega-project of the 1st century!). Distinctive feature This aqueduct is that almost its entire length is underground. Like all other aqueducts, the water in it moves under the influence of gravity, without any additional devices (there were no pumps then!). Amazing engineering structure!
More recently, German scientists discovered another “Roman” aqueduct in Syria, which is amazing.
It was built at a depth of tens of meters and stretches for almost 200 km, connecting Syria and Jordan. It took 120 years to build (from 90 to 210 AD). IN better times up to 700 liters of water per second were transported through a tunnel hidden in the mountainous area. Scientists also say that for the construction of this aqueduct, about 600,000 cubic meters of stone and earth were removed, which is equivalent to one quarter Great Pyramid and that the construction teams most likely consisted of legionnaires (legionnaires again! And who fought all this time?). You can read more about this aqueduct on the Membrane website.
Looking at these colossal, complex engineering structures, the following questions involuntarily arise again in your head: Where did the notorious “Roman Empire” draw financial, material and human resources to carry out almost simultaneous, grandiose construction projects in different parts of Europe? Where did she recruit such a horde from, firstly, qualified specialists - managers, engineers, mid-level specialists, skilled workers, and, secondly, legionnaires and simply slaves? What an “army” it was necessary to have in order to continuously build structures of colossal complexity and scope throughout Europe!
“Scientists” came up with a fairy tale that everyone was slaves local population, which the Romans inhumanly conquered and then drove to the construction sites of the century. Let's say. Then the following questions arise: who fed all this horde and what? Who guarded the slaves if the legionnaires worked with picks and shovels? And why did the inhuman conquerors, in this case, make titanic efforts to dramatically improve living conditions in the conquered countries: build aqueducts, roads, theaters with tens of thousands of seats, public baths, sewerage and other benefits of civilization? For whom were these benefits intended if all the locals were slaves? For the legionnaires themselves? For their families? For the "Romans"? So they lived so well in Rome!
Something doesn't add up here!
The conquest of other countries by the “Romans” looks quite logical. But why spend fantastic resources to build social facilities in these countries? Is this what normal conquerors do? Does anyone even know real example so that the conquerors themselves built roads, bridges, cities, theaters, water pipelines, baths, sewers? There are no such examples! How many social facilities were built by the American “fighters for democracy” in the Afghanistan and Iraq they conquered? And in other countries “blessed” by the American presence? Nothing! Only death and destruction!
This means that the only conclusion suggests itself: it was NOT built by slaves and NOT soldiers!
And who then built all this?
It was built by those who were the only people who had the necessary knowledge, technology, experience, science, school, personnel, resources and other necessary components for the successful implementation of such projects.
In his article “What kind of Romans are there?” Evgeniy Gabovich talks about the Bavarian researcher Gernot Geis, who published the book “Who were the Romans Really?” in 1994, in which he concludes that the Romans - most often - are ordinary indigenous inhabitants of Europe: Celts, Gauls and Franks, who have no relationship neither to Italy nor to Latin culture.
“...numerous “Roman” aqueducts in Gaul and Germany also turned out, without exception, to be the work of the same Etruscans: it turned out that the monopoly on the construction of such structures was firmly in the hands of Etruscan construction artels. G. Geise believes that the Etruscan masters of “aqueduct work” were famous throughout Europe and were invited to build aqueducts in various places...”
All the states that the “scientists” declared to be part of the “Roman” Empire were not in the position of conquered slaves, but were equal members of the “Union of Slavic States”. Such a union actually existed on the territory that is attributed to the “Roman” Empire, specially invented to hide the real picture of the past of our civilization. You can learn about this Union by reading an interesting book by the Russian scientist, academician Valery Chudinov, “Let’s Bring Back the Etruscans of Rus',” who deciphered many Etruscan inscriptions (the book provides a detailed analysis of 150 artifacts with inscriptions). It turned out that the famous expression “hetruscum non ligatur” (Etruscan is not readable), which was fed to the respectable public for centuries, is very ligatur (readable), and in Russian.
From the book it follows that the Etruscans did not disappear anywhere, but were subjected to forced assimilation, that their language was banned, their history, all documents relating to them disappeared (take at least 20 volumes of the history of the Etruscans "Turgenica", written by Claudius, who, before to become emperor, was married to the Etruscan princess Urgulanilla), and they themselves gradually “left” the historical arena thousands of years ago.
Even today we can verify that such processes actually occurred. A striking example of this is the dirty deeds that are happening in Ukraine and in all other countries of Eastern Europe and the Baltic states after forced democratization. Unfortunately, the ruling elite of Ukraine, completely bought by the Jewish financial mafia, did everything possible and impossible to ban the Russian language, erase Russian history from the memory of people, and impose their own, immediately concocted by the Judeo-democrats, and all the victories and achievements of the Russians or be silenced, or attribute it exclusively to yourself...
V. Chudinov’s book also tells that the Etruscans lived not only in Etruria, but also in Crete and Mysia, Sicily and Hellas, and that at that time there was a powerful Union of Slavic states. It included Rus' of the Slavs (territory of approximately modern Russia), White Rus', Zhivina Rus' (Balkans), Perunova Rus' (Baltic states), Yarova Rus' (Germany), Free Rus' (Apennine Peninsula), Goruzia, as well as Scythia, Sarmatia and Misia (Romania). At the same time, Slavic Rus' was not only given a leading role in the Union, but it created cities and entire states and, in general, decided the fate of the world. In the event of wars, the alliance assembled a combined contingent of troops, which included the Etruscans (from Cyprus, Crete and Corsica), the Baltic Slavs, the Slavs from the Black Sea countries - the Thracians and Phrygians, as well as the Czechs, Antes and Rugians.
It would be logical to assume that this Union, in addition to being political and military, was also economic. In this case, questions about the source of material and human resources for construction huge number colossal objects throughout Europe disappear by themselves. And the goals of construction fall into place: people built for themselves, for their children and grandchildren, and not for other people’s slaves! Therefore, they built for centuries, for millennia...
The amazing creations that people have created have decorated our planet for more than one millennium, and they have withstood the elements more than once. They inspire not only me, but also many artists and tourists. What is an aqueduct? A structure that was created exclusively by people or did they use special equipment? This is exactly the topic we will discuss today.
Let us also pay attention to this structure. Of course, I am not an ancient Roman architect, or even an expert in the construction of such structures. However, I became interested in how, for example, such construction could be realized. Is this even feasible?
Aqueduct - what is it?
Perhaps, first let us pay attention to what is Starting point for any construction: goal. Wikipedia tells us that ancient aqueducts were built to supply the city.
underground aqueduct - photo of a Roman underground aqueduct
This is how it was delivered (by gravity) to the city; an artificial channel was created for the flow of water.
To complete this task, builders had to have many knowledge and skills:
- good orientation in the area,
- know all groundwater,
- be able to measure not only the length, but also the elevation of relief points on the ground (find the correct solutions to high-altitude problems).
If you look at the existing buildings, you can come to the conclusion that the scientists and architects who lived in those days found the right solution to the problems, and their goal was achieved. To create the necessary slope for the water flow, it was necessary to find a place to lay tunnels, and where ravines did not form and the river bed changed, it was necessary to raise it above the terrain, building aqueducts for this purpose.
Do you think the Romans were the first to invent and build aqueducts? In fairness, it should be noted that such structures were erected even earlier by architects of the daytime east. But, if we take into account the scale of the projects, then no one could compare with the Romans.
An aqueduct is not the entire water supply system, it is only its above-ground part; the main architectural and construction secrets are hidden under water.
Ancient Rome and the famous Pont du Gard aqueduct
Let's take a closer look at the layout of the Roman aqueduct. The most seemingly impossible task was to carry water over the bed of the Gar River. For this purpose, an aqueduct was erected, the length of the lower tier of which was more than 140 meters. Have you ever seen the Pont du Gard in real life? If so, you certainly noticed that the soil at the site of its construction was rocky. Thanks to this, the structure was able to withstand heavy loads.
aqueduct photo
Today, before creating bridge projects, it is taken into account that in the future, due to floods, the usual water level may increase. Floods can happen once every hundred years, or even more often. Due to the fact that earlier there was more water in the rivers, the task of ensuring its passage was in first place. This is the reason why we can often see arches that cover almost all river floodplains.
Do you know why in ancient times arched structures were used for ceilings? I'm waiting for answers in the comments.
It seems to me that the materials from which the arches themselves were built in such structures work exclusively on compression. And the stone coped with such tasks perfectly. It was thanks to the arches that the aqueducts looked more elegant. In addition, the Pont du Gard aqueduct had many tiers, which not only makes its external characteristics more beautiful, but also adds stability to the entire structure.
Do you know what other buildings of the ancient Romans have no analogues in architecture? Of course it is - Triumphal Arch. The Romans erected arches to glorify and immortalize in stone the majestic victories of their rulers. Through their main passages, to the shouts of the jubilant people, the victors rode into the city in chariots, holding trophies in their hands, followed by captured prisoners.
Rostokinsky aqueduct
Do you think that in Moscow you can only go to Red Square or go for a walk at VDNKh? You are wrong! If you go to this city for the weekend, be sure to visit the Rostokinsky Aqueduct. The video of this Moscow attraction is below:
It is an architectural monument that preserves a two-hundred-year history; it is the only section of the Mytishchi water conduit that has been preserved today. Few people know that it was erected during the reign of Catherine II. Another name for the aqueduct is the Million Bridge? Why do you think? Everything ingenious is simple. More than a million rubles were spent on its construction from the state budget.
The aqueduct was named after the village of Rostokino of the same name, which translated means “bifurcated into several streams,” because all the villagers lived on two banks of the river.
Aqueducts of ancient Rome and the Aqueduct of Claudius
If the construction of aqueducts began in Rome, it is necessary to consider them in more detail. In ancient times, the urban population exceeded a million inhabitants, which is why an unresolved problem arose in supplying the city with water, which could be used not only for drinking and cooking, but also for other technical purposes. Here it is also necessary to pay attention to the desire of the city rulers to create a comfortable city for life; in those years, Roman thermal baths also became more popular. Naturally, it was possible to use water from a well, but due to the increase in consumption, it was necessary to figure out how to directly supply it from mountain sources.
The first Roman aqueduct was built already in the 4th century AD. and after a century more than 10 of them were built. After 2 centuries, the popular and world-famous Claudius aqueduct was built; at 27 meters high, it was significantly shorter than the old analogue of Marcius. Thus, it was possible to significantly reduce the distance (by 30 km) thanks to the creation of systems of tunnels and bridges.
Viaduct - what is it?
While preparing on this topic, I read a lot of literature, and came across that in many sites these two words are used as synonyms, but this is a gross lexical error, because it is identical to saying that an apple is a pear.
A viaduct is a bridge that connects two areas with identical landscape levels. Most often, such spans are laid through a river or other immediate depressions in a flat surface (for example, it could be a ravine or gorge).
Aqueduct is a conduit (channel, pipe) for delivering water to locality. If we consider this term from the other side, it is part of a water conduit that has the shape of a bridge. The structures are similar in structure to viaducts, but they differ in that the former were used to supply water, and the others to create a road or railway tracks in their place.
Aqueduct bridge in Crimea
Don’t know where to go in the summer, to Sochi or Crimea? I would like to draw your attention to the fact that in Sevastopol there is a unique aqueduct, which is located directly on the Chernaya River near the village of Chernorechye. Have you ever been there? If not, be sure to add this place to your list.
The aqueduct was built in the nineteenth century; it became part of one of the few water pipelines. Its construction was initiated by Admiral M.P. , and engineer Joni Upton took up the design development. The aqueduct, which stretches for 12 meters, is made of limestone and, in terms of its external characteristics, was created in accordance with the style of ancient architectural structures, vaguely reminiscent of the drainage structures that were built by the ancient Romans.
The aqueduct in Sevastopol is a picturesque structure that complements some spans with arched vaults of a semicircular shape, in the upper part there is a trench to supply water. The water pipeline performed its direct function for more than ten years, and then during the Crimean War it was half destroyed.
How do you feel about architectural structures? Are you surprised by their greatness, do you like to look at every detail, study history, search for the truth, or are you indifferent to this? I look forward to your comments.
Do I believe that aqueducts could be built by people without the use of additional technology? Probably yes, although reason proves that this is practically impossible. But there are moments when you still want to believe that the unreal may well become real. Sorry for the tautology, I think you understand what I wrote.
Thank you for your attention, I hope we have given a comprehensive answer to the question - what is an aqueduct! I invite everyone who was interested to subscribe to , many interesting things await us, we will discover the planet together!
Text— Agent Q.
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In ancient times, water supply to cities in complex terrain was carried out using complex engineering structures. An aqueduct is one of the options for laying a highway from a high-altitude source to consumers located below. What is special about such structures and why were they preferred by ancient builders?
Aqueduct: what is it?
Different countries have tried to invent the best option for transferring water from source to consumers. If there were difficult terrain along the way, and it was not possible to get around them or it was expensive, design engineers usually built the highway on high-rise supports.
What does "aqueduct" mean? If translated from Latin, it is essentially a water conduit. However, many associate with aqueducts only complex and often beautiful multi-tiered structures, similar to stepped bridges. In fact, the aqueduct is an integral system and should be considered comprehensively along its entire length from the source to the final point of consumption.
The high-rise structure undoubtedly plays an important role in passing a difficult section of the route. If it is located in an urban area, close to residential buildings, then the engineers tried to make it pleasing to the eye. But the conduit consisted not only of beautiful arches and supports. Along the entire length (they could range from several hundred meters to tens of kilometers) there could be underground sections.
A water pipeline of this scale was not built for a year or two. It could be used for decades, or even centuries. Therefore, the design and construction itself were carried out carefully. The stones for the base and supports were selected and processed separately. The calculations of the arches and ceilings had to be impeccable. The structure was subject to constant exposure to winds and precipitation. The slightest inaccuracies or shortcomings in the construction process could nullify the grandiose work.
Story
The construction of bridges, overpasses and overpasses was practiced in many ancient states. They tried to place a pipe or an open gutter on such a structure to carry water in both Greece and the East, but water conduits of this type were most widespread in ancient Rome. Some of them have survived to this day. Not only are they architectural monuments, but they are also in working condition.
Another question is why they became so widespread. At that time, pressure pipelines for water supplies already existed in theory and in practice; there were systems built on the siphon principle.
Roman aqueduct - what is it? Ancient designers chose a gravity-fed system for their water supply. Most of these aqueducts were laid on high-rise supports. In some places their height was up to fifty meters.
Characteristic
Ancient aqueducts were usually built from stone blocks. Small water conduits could be built on relatively low wooden supports. Later, with development construction technologies, engineers used brick and concrete. The rise of metallurgy made it possible to use steel and cast iron in complex structures.
The construction of Roman-type aqueducts requires the presence of an open or closed water supply ditch. This is a kind of channel or gutter, constructed from materials that are resistant to the destructive effects of water flow. Stone blocks were most often used for this. The closed channel was covered on top with a vault or slabs to prevent water pollution.
The pipes used in some aqueducts at that time could be either ceramic or lead. Ceramics were made from fired clay, but this material was unreliable. Drilling holes in stone blocks was difficult. The dangers of lead to human health were already known at that time. However, this fact was tolerated. In addition, in places with hard water, the lead walls of the pipes quickly became covered with a dense layer of plaque.
In ancient times Big city numbered from 500 thousand people. At the height of empires, up to two million citizens could permanently reside in capitals. To provide them with water, a reliable, constantly functioning system was needed. In some cities, a dozen aqueducts could operate simultaneously. The total length of the system became over 400 km. The volume of water supplied per day, according to some estimates, could be up to 1.5 million cubic meters.
An aqueduct is a complex system, and it worked in such a way as to ensure a constant natural flow of water throughout its entire length under the influence of gravitational forces. Calculations were made so that the slope of the channels was optimal. Not all aqueducts were mostly high-rise. Such complex sections could account for only up to 10% of the total length.
In some cases, it was considered advisable to make a depression in the soil. Rocks were cut down. Loose soils were laid out with treated blocks, which were covered with vaults. The main task was to ensure consistency of level. There could be additional reservoirs in the system. They could serve to settle water, accumulate reserves, and create volumes for pressure structures.
Ancient water pipelines and modern times
The ancient aqueduct is a complex engineering system. Understanding the structure of such water pipelines, experts note that they were designed by real architects. We must understand that their authors worked real miracles, showing deep knowledge in hydraulics, mechanics, and construction.
Some believe that these aqueducts survived only because a multiple safety margin was built into them. However modern research and studies of existing systems prove that they meet the requirements of modern water supply systems. It is known that engineers of those times were able to calculate the loads and resistance of materials during construction. However, how they were able to calculate the effect of the overturning forces of winds and floods remains a mystery. Formulas for calculating gravity water supply coefficients appeared many centuries later. And the system of mathematical calculations in force at that time using pebbles and counting boards was very labor-intensive and inconvenient.
Legends and facts
Despite the grandeur and complexity of Roman aqueducts, their systems did not have shut-off valves. The water flowed constantly: both day and night. Its consumption was enormous even by today's standards. But the advantage of such extravagance was that the sewer was constantly flushed, and there were fewer problems with blockages.
The aqueduct is a truly grandiose architectural structure. It is not without reason that according to one of the legends, the authorship of the world-famous arched structure in Segovia is attributed to the devil. As if it was he who built a grandiose structure in exchange for the pawned soul of the girl. But she realized it in time and begged the Almighty for forgiveness. He did not allow the construction to be completed. The devil did not have time to place only one stone. The townspeople together completed the work and, after the consecration, put the water supply system into operation.
Irrigation canals, aqueducts, dams, bridges - since ancient times, man has created all kinds of structures - in the water, above the water, near the water and even under the water. Aqueducts deserve special attention. These are the canals, pipes and conduits necessary to provide the city with water, even if the settlement is located higher than the city itself.
Aqueducts could be laid both underground and on its surface. In the latter case, the aqueducts were blocked from above so that the water did not bring dirt and garbage into the city. Where aqueducts passed through pits and arches, arched spans were built - real wonders of architecture. These arches had many tiers, which not only looked beautiful, but also ensured the stability of the entire structure.
The construction of aqueducts began back in . The first information that has reached our times is about an aqueduct built in 603 BC. The structure supplied water to the capital of Assyria, Nineveh. In the Ancients they also built aqueducts. But the longest was built in Ancient, its length is more than 315 kilometers.
Ancient Roman aqueducts, however, cannot be compared: they are distinguished not only by the grandeur of their construction, but also by their scale. Some ancient buildings have survived to this day.
The need for clean drinking water forced the ancient Romans to build aqueducts back in the 4th century BC. The first aqueduct built - Aquia Apia - reached a length of 16 kilometers. In ancient times, almost a third of the entire empire was supplied with clean water. Aqueducts were stretched throughout almost the entire country and conquered lands.
During the reign of Augustus, the Roman Empire already had about 16 aqueducts, draining water into cities from high hills. By the beginning of the 20th century, 3 active (!) aqueducts remained - Acquia Marena, Acquia Virgo, Acquia Troyana.
The Garsky Aqueduct, which is located near the city of Nîmes, has been preserved better than others. Its length is 275 meters, height - 48 meters (it is taller than the famous one). This aqueduct was built in 19 BC, as evidenced by the inscription left on one of the walls of the structure. For that time, the construction of an aqueduct was a very difficult project, but the ancient builders successfully completed this task.
The aqueduct was built under the leadership of the friend and son-in-law of Emperor Augustus. It is built from stone blocks, some of which weigh almost 6 tons. Sometimes the stones stick out one at a time - this is done on purpose: the workers used the protrusions as a ladder. Of course, all construction work performed by slaves. The aqueduct was intended to carry water from the Fountain del Ur source, which is not far from the city of Yuza. The almost 50-kilometre structure stretches across very difficult terrain (through high hills and).
The aqueduct is devoid of any decorative details, since its main task is to bring benefits. Nevertheless, the construction is worthy of admiration. Everything is done in strict accordance with calculations. The details of the aqueduct are located according to the general laws of symmetry, without any deviations. The arches stand out well against the sky, and through the openings of the aqueduct one can see the continuation of the Gardon River.
The aqueduct consists of 3 tiers located one above the other. The lower tier consists of 6 arches, each up to 20 meters high. There are 11 arches on the Middle Tier, and 24 more were built above them. The edges of the aqueduct narrow. In ancient times, in Nimi, the aqueduct flowed into a water source 6 meters in diameter, from which pipes diverged in 5 directions.
The ancient inhabitants, who had no idea about the true purpose of the aqueduct, called it the devil's bridge: it was believed that anyone who passes over it would give his soul to Satan himself.
Not far from Carthage there are the ruins of a large aqueduct (Carthaginian Aqueduct), which supplied water to the cities from a ridge in the mountains. The aqueduct has a total length of 132 km. Water was supplied by gravity, passing through several large valleys, where the aqueduct was more than 20 m high. It was founded by the Carthaginians and rebuilt in 136 AD. e. by the Romans (under Emperor Hadrian, 117 - 138). Under Emperor Septimius Severus (193 - 211), the building was rebuilt again. The aqueduct was destroyed and rebuilt again by barbarians. Its ruins still amaze with their grandiose size. It was the longest aqueduct in ancient times, the second longest is located near Rome.
The Romans considered the construction of aqueducts a great achievement in development. Indeed, these buildings are perfect, otherwise not a single one would have reached us. It’s simply a miracle that modern people have the opportunity to admire the creations of the ancients and appreciate the uniqueness of each of them.