Roman aqueduct discovered under Piazza Celimontana
In Rome, in the city center, in 2017, during construction work for another metro line, the ruins of a Roman aqueduct were found. The remains are 20 meters below city level and are an amazing find. According to scientists, the aqueduct is dated to the 3rd century BCE.
The discovery has only been announced now, despite the fact that it actually took place at the end of last year. City officials are expected to provide more details about the discovery in the coming days.
Scientists do not know exactly how this aqueduct ran. The Roman author Frontinus mentions in his work of 102 CE several aqueducts in Rome that overlapped what is now Rome’s Celio district.
Researchers suspect that the ruins may belong to, for example, the Anio Vetus aqueduct, which dates back to 272 BCE. The problem, however, is that according to Frontinus, it did not run through this region. It is also unlikely that the discovered aqueduct was part of the Aqua Appia – the first structure of this type in Rome.
