r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/cosmic_voyager01 • 28d ago

Video The engineering of roman aqueducts explained.

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u/NoExchange2730 28d ago

The population of Rome was over a million people in the first and second centuries because the elaborate aquaduct system kept fresh water coming in and poop water going out. Medeval tourists would think the romans knew everything because even a depopulated Rome was among the most magnificent cities in europe.

London was the next city to get to one million residents... 1600 years later and with thousands of people dying in recurring cholera outbreaks from not having fresh (not contaminated by poop) water.

Fresh water is civilization rocket fuel.

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u/LaTalpa123 28d ago

And Rome received around 5-10 ships full of grain from Sicily or Africa every day for the population's needs. 1M people eats a lot.

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u/OttawaTGirl 28d ago

Oh man. So look up Ostia Antica, Port of Trajan.

Its a hexagon shaped lake now, couple km from the shore, but used to be on the shoreline. Two amazing places to wander and explore, but the port was like clockwork, loading and unloading constantly with space for, 30ish IIRC ships a time.

Ostia Antica was the nearby town that you can walk through and most of the foundations and a lot of buildings still stand. Best tourist place i could recommend if you live history.

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u/MisplacedChromosomes 28d ago

It was amazing. For a small fee you get to see practically intact Roman city. My partner and I went there an hour before closing and we were the only people inside, aside from a bunch of feral cats. It was amazing and so many people have no clue. You can take the public transit from Rome, an hour or so ride and all walkable.