Of aqueducts and sheep

The results had come in and I was stunned. The English had voted to Leave the EU.  StilI trying to process the information I decided to take time out. I also had a couple of free hours that needed killing.

I ignored the fact that the temperature was somewhere in the mid-thirties celsius and that I wasn't really in the best of shape for a walk following a mild leg injury. 

I walked to the end of the road away from the busy junction which leads on one side to the Castelli Romani towns, on the other into the heart of the Tuscolano and beyond that into the historical centre of Rome.

I entered the park of the aqueducts, a 240 hectare park which is one of the distinct features of the lower Tuscolano region.

The park's usual approach is from Via Lemonia, a road that runs parallel to the park, from the end of the Circonvallazione Tuscolana as far as the Church of San Policarpo. The metro stops of Lucio Sestio, Giulio Agricola and Subaugusta all bring visitors within walking distance of the park.

The park was already getting its desiccated summer look: yellowing blades of grass and a mantle of fallen pine cones and needles. There weren't many people about: some runners in their Lycra shorts, a few barely clad people sunbathing in the dust or on top of one aqueduct, some camera carrying tourists... 

I followed a dusty path to the first of the three important  aqueducts in the park. This was the aqueduct of the Acqua Marcia. It was built in 144bc. Its name came from that of the Republican praetor, Quintus Marcius Rex, who built it on orders of the senate. It cost 180 million sesterces, which would be about 350 million Euro today. 

It was an ambitious project but the ancient Romans were master engineers. The aqueduct ran from the Aniene valley all the way to the Capitol Hill in the centre of Rome, with 9kms of arches out in the open for all to admire. It  provided water for the baths of Caracalla and the baths of Diocletian. 

Pliny the Elder in his 'Naturalis Historia' said "The first prize for the coolest and most wholesome water in the whole world has been awarded by the voice of Rome to the Acqua Marcia, one of the gods' gifts to our city." 

Sheep and the Acqua Marcia

Today the lower parts of these arches are buried in the ground, weeds and bushes grow close up to them. At regular intervals there are rusty steps to help visitors climb onto the aqueduct, over and deeper into the park, to face the more stunning and dramatic view of the Acqua Claudia.

In the summer, sunbathers drape their towels on the baking top of the Acqua Marcia and roast away. Indeed, as I climbed over I could see two happily baking bodies, and hoped at the very least that they'd remembered to put on sun cream and did not belong to the brigade of people who claim, "my skin never burns, I never need sun cream."

About 20 metres away there was a herd of sheep munching on the dry fronds of grass. I had heard of the fierce sheep dogs in the park, large Tuscan Maremma dogs. They were a worry, I had been told for joggers, but maybe because of the heat, there were no dogs.Two elderly shepherds, one sheltering from the sun beneath an umbrella which at times alternated as a sheep prod, were herding the creatures.

I watched the sheep for a while then walked towards the huge arches of the Acqua Claudia. I could see a group of tatooed young men drinking beer in the shade of an arch. I avoided them. A couple strolled past. Beyond the arches was the fenced off area of a private golf club and its training runs, so very green and orderly compared to the parched park.

The Acqua Claudia

The Acqua Claudia began construction under Caligula in 38A.D and was finished under Claudius, hence its name, in 52 A.D. It flows a distance of 68kms from the town of Subiaco most of it underground but with 15kms above ground. 

Under the Emperor Nero, it fed a secondary aqueduct which supplied water to the ninfeo and great lake of Nero's Golden Palace.

The Acqua Claudia provided water to all 14 Roman districts. It was a solid and durable construction as the concrete used to build it had been mixed with volcanic ash.

View of umbrella pines through an arch of the Acqua Claudia

I ambled away from the aqueduct towards a pond. I paused to watch a newly-wed couple climb onto a trunk for their wedding photos with aqueduct back-drop. It would indeed make the day memorable if either of them slipped off.

The pond,and the stream leading away from it, are meant to be protected natural areas, or so say the signs. Despite this there were a number of dogs having a refreshing dip. 

Dog bathing in the laghetto

 I followed the banks of the stream and read the small notices appended to some trees: Olmo, Salice,Pioppo (elm,willow, poplar )...


 











My slow, meandering walk was interrupted by the sound of bells approaching. It was the herd of sheep again. They lined up along the banks of the stream to sip the crystal clear waters. 

Sheep lining up to drink some 'happy' water with the remains of the aqueduct of the Acqua Felice.

 In the distance I could see the bell tower of the modern (sixties-built) Church of San Policarpo. My walk was almost over.




 I passed under a shallow arch of yet another aqueduct: the Acquedotto Felice. This was a more recent construction, built between 1585 and 1587 under Pope Sesto V ( real name Felice Peretti), nicknamed 'er papa tosto' (the tough Pope) by the poet G.G.Belli. 

An arch of the Acquedotto Felice

The church of San Policarpo through the trees and the Acquedotto Felice

The Acquedotto Felice is still operational today . It had been built to serve the Viminale and Quirinale hills and the Papal residence of Villa Peretti- Montalto.

I didn't have any water and unlike the sheep who could sip from the 'happy' water I was beginning to feel dehydrated.








Earlier near the Acqua Marcia there had been a drinking fountain, a strong refreshing gush of clear water which had inspired a father and his two young children to wade into it to cool off in blatant disregard of the notice which threatened a fine to people caught doing so.

Back on the deserted street, I headed off in the direction of the underground with thoughts of a nice cool shower propelling me on. My left leg was aching again.