Assessing Roman large-scale hydraulic systems

A Rome Transformed online colloquium (5-6 May 2022)

This colloquium aims to explore new methodological approaches to the study of Roman hydrological systems.

How can we study these systems most effectively across urban and extra-urban areas? How may we situate the different structural elements that facilitated water supply in their wider social, architectural and landscape contexts?Often discussed in isolation, large water structures such as Roman bath complexes and nymphaeaor individual water features, such as toilets and fountains, operated as part of and in relation to a system of infrastructures that worked at a district, urban or even regional scale, such as aqueducts, sewers, roads, and local distribution systems. An added challenge to analysis is understanding temporal change. How might adjustments in the design and function of different elements over time impact on the operation and character of larger hydrological systems?

Making sense of such complex networks of actions and interactions requires an interdisciplinary approach and the development of a robust data integration methodology. This colloquium aims to offer a space for debate on large-scale ancient hydraulic systems and data integration engaging scholars from a wide range of disciplines, including archaeology, architecture, civil and environmental engineering, geology, geography, urban planning and urban infrastructure.

Programme

Times indicated are in BST (British Summer Time)

Thursday, 5 May 2022

Approaching large-scale water infrastructure: methods and challenges

Chair: Ian Haynes

13.00 Welcome - Ian Haynes

13.15 The Değirmendere Aqueduct of Ephesus - Gilbert Wiplinger

13.40 Water in Istanbul; Rising to the Challenge, an interim report on the first year - Jim Crow, Martin Crapper, Cigdem Ozkan-Aygun, Maria Monteleone, Lut Vandeput

14.05 From the parts to the whole: modelling the water supply system of the eastern Caelian through an integrated approach to hydraulic structures - Elettra Santucci

14.30 Subterranean surveying methods. Insights in light of the new survey of the Biar Aqueduct, Jerusalem - Azriel Yechezkel

14.55 Coffee break

15.05 Travertine roughness and changing flow conditions in Roman aqueducts - Davide Motta, Duncan Keenan-Jones, Getachew Mamo, Eimear Flynn

15.30 Geometric and hydraulic analysis of Rome’s Aqua Claudia aqueduct - Jake Finesilver, Davide Motta, Duncan Keenan-Jones

15.55 A computational hydraulic analysis of the aqueduct supplying Great Chesters Roman fort on Hadrian’s Wall - Reece Taylor, Martin Crapper

16.20 Stories of Roman aqueducts about smart adaptations to natural processes and socio-economical needs - Gül Sürmelihindi, Cees Passchier

16.45 Discussion

Friday, 6 May 2022

Large-scale water infrastructures and strategies for urban distribution

Chair: Elettra Santucci

9.00 Really convincing fantasies? Modelling large-scale irrigated landscapes (as) in the making and why that matters - Maurits W. Ersten

9.25 Public hydraulic infrastructures at Roman cities ager in Central Italy: dams and dykes - Antonio Pizzo, Marisa Barahona

9.50 The Thermal Baths Archaeological Park of Baiae and the Aqua Augusta Story: an attempt of reconstruction - Daniele De Simone, Gioconda Di Luca

10.15 Coffee break

10.25 The Aqua Alsietina between urban and extra-urban context - Maria Grazia Cinti

10.50 Aspects of the water distribution of ancient Rome - Paul Kessner

11.15 An integrated hydraulic model for ancient Pompeii: simulating the water distribution network - Francisco Perez de la Cruz, Maria Monteleone, Davide Motta, Martin Crapper

11.40 Discussion

Assessing transformation and reuse in hydraulic structures. Approaches and challenges

Chair: Thea Ravasi

13.00 Aqua Traiana. Reuse, restoration and maintenance aimed at productive functions and urban development from Middle Ages to 19^th century - Marina Marcelli, Francesco Maria Cifarelli

13.25 One building, many purposes. Assessing transformations in water provision, management, and distribution in the baptistery of St. John Lateran in Rome - Thea Ravasi, Elettra Santucci

13.50 Hydraulic systems, reuse and transformations: from the Aqua Claudia to the Felice aqueduct - Antonio Insalaco

14.15 Coffee break

14.25 The Aqua Claudia in the archaeological area of Santa Croce in Jerusalem: characteristics of the aqueduct, secondary water distribution structures and restoration works - Laura Bottiglieri, Anna De Santis

14.50 Aqua Publica, Luxuria Privata: the evolution of the public water system and its impact on Pompeian houses - Antonella Coralini, Angela Bosco

15.15 Hydraulic systems in Roman theatres: the transformation of the theatre in Ostia - Katerina Gottardo

15.40 Discussion

Download the abstracts

You can download the colloquium abstracts here: Hydraulics Abstracts‌

Register to attend the colloquium

The colloquium is online. Please register below and an email with the details will be sent in due course to your address

https://forms.ncl.ac.uk/view.php?id=11174646

Colloquium organising committee

Professor Ian Haynes (Newcastle University)
Dr Thea Ravasi (Newcastle University)
Elettra Santucci (Newcastle University)

Contact the colloquium organisers

To contact the colloquium organisers, please email rometransformed@gmail.com.