Thus Augustus’ aqueduct changed the life of Pompeii

The public baths of Pompeii e l’intero city ​​water systemthey experienced a profound transformation between the laterepublican age e il Augustan periodmoving from a supply based on deep wells to a grid powered byaqueductwith direct effects on the expansion of bathrooms and theurban hygiene.

This is what emerges from onestudio pubblicato sui Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)which analyzes thecalcium carbonate encrustationspreserved in wells, spas and water infrastructures of thecity ​​buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD

Geochemical analyzes and the initial phase

Gul Surmelihindi, Cees Passchier and colleagues have done itgeochemical analyzes of stable isotopesand trace elements incarbonate depositswith archaeological observations, reconstructing the evolution of the sources, ofqualityand the quantity of water over time. The results indicate that, in an initial phase, thepublic spa facilitiesand the craft complexes were powered bywells up to 40 meters deepfrom which the water was raised with manually operated machines. In the heated pools ofRepublican Bathsabandoned between 30 and 20 BC, the encrustations show clear signs ofcontamination from human activitysuggesting that the water was not renewed frequently.

The impact of the construction of the Augustan aqueduct

The construction of theaqueduct in the Augustan agebetween 27 BC and 14 AD, marked a turning point: the arrival of a more stable and continuous source allowed theexpansion of the spa facilities e un probabile improvement of hygienic conditions. According to the authors, the study demonstrates how the analysis ofmineral depositscan offer a unique window ondaily lifeand on the social practices of a Roman city, illuminating thecentral role of the spain the urban culture of Pompeii.