Aqueducts

I wish I had a coin to illustrate an aqueduct to start this thread, but I don't. I thought this (satirical) article in the Onion was funny. Here is an interesting article by Wilke Schram, though, on Roman aqueducts on coins.

Historians Reveal Aqueducts Were Only Small Portion Of Ancient Rome’s Intricate Water Park System


Post any coins you have depicting aqueducts!

 

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And not to mention aqueducts feature heavily in Robert Harris' Pompeii, one of my favourite novels set in ancient Rome.

 

I have no coins with aqueducts, but I had the privilege of seeing one in person. It is an experience I will never forget. Made me appreciate the intelligence and skills of our ancient forefathers in a way that nothing else did.

 

Gotta love The Onion! Hilarious image right there. How rotten would it be if the water slide emptied you into the Cloaca Maximus?!



L. Mussidius Longus
42 BC. RomeFoureé Denarius AR16mm., 3,02g.
Radiate and draped bust of Sol facing slightly right / The shrine of Venus Cloacina; a low circular platform surmounted by two statues of the goddess, each resting right hand on cippus, the platform inscribed CLOAC and ornamented with trellis-pattern balustrade, with flight of steps and portico on left; L•MVSSIDIVS•LONGVS around above.
nearly very fine
Crawford 494/43b. Former Savoca

 

L MARCUS PHILIPPUS ROMAN REPUBLIC; GENS MARCIA
AR Denarius
OBVERSE: Diademed head of Ancus Marcius right, lituus hehind, ANCVS below
REVERSE: Equestrian statue right on an arcade of five arches; flower below horse, AQVA MAR between arches, PHILLIVS behind
Rome 56 BC
3.06g
Cr425/1, Marcia 28, Syd 919

 

Man. Aemilius Lepidus, AR Denarius, Rome, (18 mm, 3.88g)
Laureate and diademed head of Roma right; behind star (mark of value)/ REV. MN•AEMILIO, Equestrian statue right on pedestal with three arches, L-E-P between the arches

There is some controversy whether the statue on the reverse is sitting on top of an unfinished aqueduct or a triumphal arch...interested to see if anyone has any thoughts whether or not this is an aqueduct.

 

Funnily enough, my favorite two RR denarii have aqueducts on them

Mn Aemilius Lepidus


L Marcius Philippus

 

That is pretty funny! Here is another Onion piece about vases at the Met - read down to the last, sad sentence about coins (and museums):

https://local.theonion.com/metropolitan-museum-acquires-another-vase-1830499658

As for aqueducts, one of my very first ancients, purchased in 1987 for $25 is a Roman Republican denarius with an aqueduct:


Roman Republic Denarius
L. Marcius Philippus
(56 B.C.)
Diademed head of Ancus Marcius right, lituus left; below, ANCVS / Equestrian statue right on arcade of five arches, inscription within, AQVA MR; on l., PHILIPPVS
Crawford 425/1; RRC 919.
(3.77 grams / 16 mm)

 

In reading Kenneth Harl's book, although this coin does not FEATURE an Aquaduct, it was used to pay for the BUILDING of Via Appia and Aqua Appia. These were the first major projects that Rome embarked, creating their first "super-highway" and first major Aquaduct program. The Censor Appius Claudius Caecus built the Aqua Appia in 312 BCE as well as built the Via Appia. Busy dude.

Tossing this out again, but this was the time that Rome was REALLY getting itself on the map! Legions, Road Systems, Aquaducts, Concrete, Incorporation of Allies and Citizens... HUGE innovations that made Rome a World Empire.

Roman Republic
Anon AR Heavy Denarius / Didrachm
7.3g, 21mm, 310-300 BCE
Helmeted Bearded Mars
Horse head, Grain behind / Romano
Crawford 13-1
FIRST Silver Coin of Rome. Tarriffed at 10 Asses

 

That's hilarious!...especially the last line!

 

I actually opened this thread thinking it was about Aqueduct Race Track (horse) on Long Island, but this is actually better! Fabulous pic, & I think I saw the remnants of the slides when we were last in Rome!

 

I bought one of these a couple of months ago. The seller thought it was a bridge the horse was travelling across.

 

Perhaps the aqueduct description is wrong, but all the references I've looked at describe it as such.

 

Is that the aquaduct in Segovia? My wife and I were just there a couple of months ago. It's pretty incredible!!

 

I don't have any depicting an aqueduct, but it would be nice to get one.

 

Yeah, it is an incredible town to visit. Well worth the trip.

 

Time for me to do a little research. This is what makes collecting ancients so fascinating.

 

Fun fact, the coins minted in Segovia have an aquaduct as a mint mark.

 

TO COMMEMORATE THE COMPLETION OF THE CATSKILL AQUEDUCT AN ACHIEVEMENT OF CIVIC SPIRIT SCIENTIFIC GENIUS AND FAITHFUL LABOR 1905 NEW YORK 1917

 

..i will soon...i just won one with a king and aquaduct ..(it was mislisted as a Dioscuri and i was the only bidder!)