Acquiring Water in Minas Tirith

[Scottomir]

By a very freaky coincidence, the Discovery Channel is currently airing a program called The Seven Wonders of Rome, and the aqueducts are #5. There is like an 8-minute segment on how the Romans build an aqueduct network, actually going inside some of them. But they even mention good ole Frontinus, whom I mentioned previously. However, I have subsequently learned that Frontinus was a former proconul when put in charge of the water supply, not a quaestor or aedile.

[Phantom]

The part of Roman Aquaduct engineering that has always fascinated me is that they had to actually go through mountains in places. I know the Romans were excellent engineers, but roads and buildings are one thing, to start digging on both sides of a mountain and to be able to meet up in the middle and still having the necessary incline...using ancient tools and surveying techniques just makes me say...WOW!

[ReptileJK]

I saw that Seven Wonders of Rome on Sat.
Coincidence, indeed.

[Scottomir]

Originally posted by Phantom
The part of Roman Aquaduct engineering that has always fascinated me is that they had to actually go through mountains in places. I know the Romans were excellent engineers, but roads and buildings are one thing, to start digging on both sides of a mountain and to be able to meet up in the middle and still having the necessary incline...using ancient tools and surveying techniques just makes me say...WOW!

Then I think you'd really enjoy this Discovery Channel program. They actually demonstrate how this was accomplished, by digging evenly paced vertical shafts down into the hill/mountain and using them like plum-lines to make sure the level passges sync up. Very impressive.

[Phantom]

Originally posted by Scottomir
Then I think you'd really enjoy this Discovery Channel program. They actually demonstrate how this was accomplished, by digging evenly paced vertical shafts down into the hill/mountain and using them like plum-lines to make sure the level passges sync up. Very impressive.

Yeah, I know I caught most of the show. Not overly interested in Gladiators, but I did enjoy the rest of "Rome Week" on Discovery, particularly the "Who Killed Caeser."

[ReptileJK]

Yeah, I saw most of those shows. Liked them all alot.

Gotta love the Discovery Channel!

Reptile