The Cloaca Maxima is large the collecting sewer which, in the ancient Rome, served the Forum Romanum and led to the the Tiber.
History
It is Tarquin Old the which undertook its construction ({{VIIe}} - sixth century BC). The goal of this sewer was to drain bottoms marshy funds being between the Esquilin, the Viminal and the Quirinal. This draining had become inevitable, so much the population of Rome increased. At the beginning this sewer was only one large channel with open sky having for function to evacuate the water of the ground. During centuries, by successive work, it became a true underground sewer, becoming it completely only after second century BC
The Romains covered their sewerage system for reasons of hygiene, because Rome was frequently the prey of the epidemics. The first channel was built in blocks of stone without cement. The stones were long 2,50 meters, broad of 1 meter and high of 0,80 meter; they were cut in Pépérin or Pumice tuff of the area of Rome. After many restorations the construction materials changed.
Visible layout and vestiges
The large sewer was long of approximately 800 meters and began in the Argilète where it collected rainwater, then it passed under the Forum Romanum and flowed in the the Tiber.
The mouth, close to the Forum Boarium , visible since the big shot Palatino, is made up of triple arches with floating walls, being used to stabilize the drain.
The dimension of the channel varies during the layout: with the mouth it is 4,50 meters wide and 3,60 meters in height. A score of sewers flowed there throughout the layout.
See too
External bond
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Site on the Roman sewers
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