Aqua Appia

aqueduct, Italy

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Last updated

June 18, 2026

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The Aqua Appia was Rome's first aqueduct, completed around 312 BCE by Appius Claudius Caecus. It was a conduit built to bring water to the city from the Sabine Hills, utilizing gravity to transport the water. This engineering feat was crucial for Rome's development, improving public health by providing a cleaner water source than local rivers and wells. While the Romans were renowned aqueduct builders, systems like the Aqua Appia were vital for supplying water to cities and agricultural lands, especially in areas with limited natural water sources.12

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Appius Claudius Caecus
…completed the construction of the Aqua Appia, Rome’s first aqueduct, bringing in water from the Sabine Hills. He also initiated the Via Appia, the great military and commercial road between Rome and Capua. Both of these projects were named for him, the first time such an honour had been conferred.…
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…completed the construction of the Aqua Appia, Rome’s first aqueduct, bringing in water from the Sabine Hills. He also initiated the Via Appia, the great military and commercial road between Rome and Capua. Both of these projects were named for him, the first time such an honour had been conferred.…
Read More