Our first stop as we explore the Roman Empire is a former aqueduct called Aqua Claudia. Built for fourteen years, the aqueduct was used as a fresh water source to the capital of the Western Roman Empire, Rome. Aqua Claudia was one of the eleven aqueducts that supplied Rome with 300 million gallons of water everyday. The fresh water that it provided was used for daily routines such as washing and cooking, but the fresh water was also used for public services such as bathhouses, sewer systems, and public bathrooms. The great arches of the Aqua Claudia shows the architectural achievement of the Roman Empire as well. The aqueduct was about 100 feet high and 45-46 miles wide. Today, we still use arches to create large, vast places. The Roman Empire's aqueduct remains show us that they did what we are doing today thousands of years ago. Aqua Claudia differs from many other Roman Empire aqueducts because it only has one layer of arches, unlike the Pont du Gard which has three. During the fall of the Roman Empire, many places fell with it including the aqueducts, but they were repaired soon. Aqua Claudia is a well-known tourist site today.
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