Infografica Inquinamento

EnvironmentWater management: canalisation, aqueducts to bring huge quantities to the urban centres across the Roman empire, feeding hundreds of fountains, baths and private taps - a waste of water at unprecedented scale, water that was consequently missing in rural and mountainous areas which must have a further effect on the fauna and flora in arid climates.

Marziale – Epigrammata IX, 68

Seneca, ad Lucilium, 56

Svetonio, Vespasiano, 23

River pollution must have been a serious problem in many parts of the Roman empire: again, this was largely down to industries, but also of course human waste (from public latrines and other conveniences) that was flushed into the rivers. And with the size of many of the urban agglomerations, the level of pollution must have been unbearable!

Industries produced an enormous amount of smoke and poinsonous gases, for example from the iron furnaces and the pottery kilns. Some of them were built outside urban areas, but not always. We also find many vici that specialised in these industries, but this also means that people lived in close vicinity to production sites.

SMOG ! - The air quality in cities must have been horrific for numerous reasons: the extent of heating (private houses, with and without hypocaustum, public baths), the use of countless oil lamps, and the local industries; just outside the settlements, in the cemeteries, we can imagine pyres burning for hours on a daily basis.

POLLUTION AND SUSTAINABILITY IN ANCIENT ROME