The Roman Aqueducts
Throughout history civilizations have struggled and adapted to meet the most important
standard of our personal needs. The most important need is the kick-start to prosperity of a
civilization, water. This very important substance is fuel for humanity as well as all life. No
civilization can be well-off without a reliable source of water. From the irrigation techniques of
Mesopotamia to today’s advanced system of underground pipes and reservoirs. Only with the
evolution of water management technology can society advance. Let us take a look at one of the
fiercest, most powerful empires that have ever existed. The nation that controlled from
northwestern Europe to the Near East and dominated the lands of the Mediterranean. The Roman
Empire. With such vast lands comes many riches, riches that are able to fund public works
programs to better the way of life for its common people. One of the major public projects were
the Roman Aqueducts. The Roman Aqueducts demonstrated brilliant engineering in the ancient
would and had a direct contribution to the prosperity of the empire.
Aqueducts served one very important purpose that is key to every civilization. The
transportation of the most essential human need, water. So far, aqueducts have come to take the
form of above ground pipes, bridges, large networkins of channeling, and underground tunnels.
Ever since the neolithic revolution, communities require larger supplies of water to tend to a
growing population and farming use. As time progresses and empires grow, civilizations expand
to greater distances where water may not be easily accessed. Aqueducts give the ability for
people to utilize agriculture while living distant from a water source.
Human capital was in high demand for the construction of the aqueducts. First, high
authority figures would have to organize initial decisions correctly in order to fulfill their goals
and time period on the the design. (Aqueducts Built in Rome, 2). Then, a large degree of technical
experts would be required to bring the rulers ideas to life. These experts had to be well trained
and precise with every aspect of their work. They had to manage large amounts of labourers and
slaves. (Aqueducts Built in Rome, 2). They had much responsibility on their plate because any
mistake in the process they would be held accountable for, and in ancient times there are brutal
leaders, so these jobs had to be taken very seriously. Skilled labours were often in short for the
overall construction. Slaves were often used for more simpler tasks but did not have the
education and experience needed for constructing with precision. Qualified labours had to be
brought in from all around the empire to fulfil this massive task. (Aqueducts Built in Rome, 3).
Stone was the most called for physical recourse needed for construction. Stone was used
for the foundation as well as the actual aqueducts themselves.(Aqueducts, 4). Lead pipes were
built in to transport water from the nearest aqueduct to villages and cities. In the circumstance
that the desired source for water was higher above ground then the actual aqueduct, siphoning
