Aqua Alexandrina

The Aqua Alexandrina is an ancient Roman aqueduct ( aqueduct ) to supply the city of Rome. It is the last aqueduct that was built in ancient Rome.

History

The Aqua Alexandrina was built in 226 AD under the reign of Emperor Alexander Severus in the year and was named after its builder. Severus Alexander had also n the year 226 AD, restore the baths of Nero in the Campus Martius and rebuild and make much larger. They were renamed as the Baths of Alexander after him. For these enlarged spas Alexander needed a new water supply.

A total of three restorations were detected. Last of the aqueduct in the reign of Pope Hadrian I repaired was set.

The sources of the Aqua Alexandrina are now used by the Acqua Felice. An aqueduct, the Pope Sixtus V had to create in 1586. He achieved though at a different route Rome and ends in Moses Fountain.

In the Roman district of Tor Pignattara the Parco dell'Acquedotto Alessandrino was set up in which a part of the aqueduct can still be seen.

Water management

The source version of the Aqua Alexandrina was in the Pantano Borghese, a swamp near the ancient city of Gabii at Via Praenestina east of Rome. The area now belongs to the municipality of Monte Compatri.

From there, the 22.5 km long water pipeline was initially underground for a distance of approximately 6.4 km, then travel the rest of the way as Aqueduct on an arch structure and doing a series of gentle valleys cut by tributaries of the Anio (later Aniene ) to cross.

The Aqua Alexandrina led near the Porta Maggiore via an aqueduct of brick arches along the Via Praenestina and Via Labicana and ended in the Campus Martius at the Baths of Alexander. The spas were located between the Pantheon and Piazza Navona today.

The water flow was depending on the season 120000-320000 cubic meters per day.