Book series „History of water supply“ - Volume 1

Sextus Julius Frontinus, his works in Latin and German, and accompanying scholarly essays
Completely revised edition 2013

Sextus Julius Frontinus was appointed by Emperor Nerva in 97 AD as head of the water supply of the city of Rome (curator aquarum). On this occasion, he wrote a treatise that has been preserved under the title “De aquaeductu urbis Romae – The Water Supply of the City of Rome.” In it, Frontinus provides an overview of the state of knowledge regarding the management, technology, and organization of public water supply. He appears to us as a modern manager of a large urban water supply; his work can be considered the first textbook on the subject.

The Latin and German versions, set side by side in two columns and provided with explanatory footnotes, are based on a careful revision of the Latin text and a new translation into German.

Thirteen accompanying essays, written by internationally renowned representatives of ancient history, classical philology and literary history, archaeology and engineering, deal with the editorial history of the work, the figure of Frontin in his political and social environment, the organization and administration of the water supply, discuss measurement technology and hydraulic knowledge, pipe standardization and structural engineering issues and address the public baths, fountain systems, toilets and sewage pipes during Frontin’s time.

Our member Manfred Hainzmann has created an online database based on the edition by W. Letzner and W. Merkel in the book “The Water Supply in Ancient Rome” (Volume 1 of the Frontinus book series “History of Water Supply”). This database provides access to the full vocabulary of this unique specialist text by Frontinus, while simultaneously highlighting all differing readings compared to four other editions:

• Frontin. Les aqueducs de la ville de Rome, ed. P. Grimal, Paris (2nd Edition) 1961.
• Sex. Iulius Frontinus, De aquaeductu urbis Romae, ed. C. Kunderewicz, Leipzig 1973
• Frontino. De aquae ductu urbis Romae, ed. F. del Chicca, Roma 2004
• Frontinus: de aquaeductu urbis Romae, ed. R. H. Rodgers, Cambridge 2004.

To access this database, click here.