Roman Aqueduct Hunters

Ever since I saw the 93-foot tall Roman Aqueduct in Segovia, Spain, I have always been fascinated by the ingenuity of the Roman water system.

In 2008, Robert Harris in Pompeii wrote in great detail about the water works of the doomed city through the eyes of his protagonist, a hydraulic engineer for the city. The level of knowledge, math and engineering that went into water system was eye-opening.

It's no wonder Europe entered the dark ages after the Western Roman Empire fell - all of those centuries of knowledge lost.

Today I came across a video from AqueductHunter.com on their research and exploration of the Roman aqueduct, Aqua Traiana.

Enjoy!

Flooring the Colosseum

An article in the Los Angeles Times discussed installing a new floor on Rome's iconic Colosseum.

That is a bad idea.

Tourists by the millions come to view the ancient ruins. Being able to view the pens and chambers that once held animals, supplies, humans and who knows what else enhances that experience. Covering it, means only a handful of people will be able to view them on space-limited ground-level tours.

Also, adding a large new installation that is not part of the original Colosseum will stand in stark contrast to the ruins around, Already, a portion of the Colosseum has been floored for small productions and is bright and cheery compared to its surroundings.

Click on the link to read the full article.

Rome officials consider reinstalling floor of Colosseum



Photo by Alessandra Tarantino / Associated Press