[How does a Roman cistern work?]

Melvadius, thank you again.

The picture is clearing up a bit. So, I see slaves filling utility buckets from the puteal at the head of the impluvium to do chores. This would be a daily occurance or a daily chore to fill some resevoir forlater use. The impluvium would not be suitable for fish or plants? However, the Getty Villa in Malibu, a replica of the one in Herculaneum,. has an impluvium for eels. And the swimming pool was possibly an exposed cistern from which to draw. Making sense?

There were older impluviums in early villas that were walled up as much as three feet cornered with columns to support the roof I'm sure. Would these imluviums hold much more water than the later counterparts. Ie House of Faun in Pompeii?

Why I am asking about all this is because I write in this period and frankly have no clue how to use impluviums and cisterns in my stories. They are of practical use as most things Roman but in someways I see them as ornamental due to the fact I don't totally understand how they function. Your information is gold to me. Thank you

JC

 

I understand that there are indications that at least in several instances the impluvium contained porous and non-porous stones in its base so that any water falling into it would slowly drain away and be naturally filtered into the cistern lying below it.

 

This system would probably leave a little water in the impluvium, usually not enough to be used directly for washing floors except after a storm, which would slowly evaporate and have a cooling effect.

 

Water in the cistern, as I indicated above, could be drawn out in a small bucket when needed through a draw-shaft which usually had a puteal (well-head) above it so people wouldn't fall into the access to the cistern.

 

As to fountains I don't think that they were a common feature in villa's but if you have enough of a fall in height between the reservoir and where the water comes out then you can create a fountain just by the force of gravity - using 'siphons' as you suggested. The Roman's also made extensive use of siphons in their aqueducts principally when crossing some deep valley's.

 

I haven't checked explicitly for this answer but in Pompeii the street 'fountains' were all linked to cisterns located at the highest point of the town where the aqueduct came into the town so they could have had enough pressure available to have 'true' fountains built in. In some of the richer villa's there is evidence that they had elevated 'header' tanks while others probably bought their own access to the public water supply (as indicated in Frontinus) and by photographs at this site which shows valves on lead piping whcih could have been used to regulate the flwo of water to a fountain or other water feature turing it on or off when required.

 

Some of Pompeii's residents therefore would likely also have had enough pressure to create 'true' fountains if they wished inside their villa's.

[How does a Roman cistern work?]

Melvidius, thank you. Milie gratis,

You answer helps a great deal. However, I'm still not clear on how it works. So, here goes. A slave needs to wash the floor. She draws the water up through the well hole (can't remember the term for this) I'm assuming that is the 'half column' that is next to the impluvium. But that bugger looks small for buckets. But I can see how it would work. I presumed that was maybe an air shaft for gravity.

 

Now the impluvium....it contained water as well. It drained into the cistern? It's water was used for cleaning etc? It was filled by labor/slaves or indicated the level of the water in the cistern? Was it separate from the cistern?

 

Now I understand the location of cisterns being under the atrium. Most of the older houses in Pompeii worked from cisterns until the aqueduct brough in water as you said. I also wondered about if they had a siphon pump abilities and did these feed fountains? Of course they didn't have a spraying fountain but a lovely drizzle that filled a small pond from which the slaves could draw water.

 

Thank you for your time. It is appreciated.

J

[The Eagle (Movie)]

It will come to German cinemas on 3rd March (German title "Der Adler der Neunten Legion") and I will definitely go to the movies together with my boyfriend to watch it.

 

 

I can't wait to go see this movie. IT'S ROMAN!!!!

J

[Gutenberg Books in PDF]

I'm impressed!!!!! What a great resource. Thank you all for this.

[How did they clean themselves?]

well, I dunno about all this but the Romans did love their baths/thermae. A Roman once said that what is better than going once to a thermae is to go twice. They loved it. And it wasn't that far removed from todays pleasures. Let's see, one would enter this beloved building after working out in the gynnasium all sweaty and dirty (women too if available) and would be disrobed. They enter the sweat room to open pores, step out and have a slave sponge them down, removing dirt and sweat. Then to the caldarium where one slips into shoes to keep from burning feet and sweats more,then rinsed again and into the hot water for a grand soak. OUt of there into the frigidiarium to close pores and then to the waiting tepid waters of the tepidiarium to mingle with the other folk lounging there. Some places it was co-ed but usually women were granted the morning shift, men the afternoon shift and the poor whatever time was left over before cleaning the pools with vinegar is my bet.

 

Now once in the elegant tepidarium (Trier) one could have a private massage with a happy ending of course, or a simple massage where one's hair was washed with imported shampoo from Egypt that was made down the street. Hands were manacured with nails clipped and trimmed.Calouses were removed with pumic along with defoleating skin and hair that wasn't waxed. I believe they waxed hair rather than plucking it, exception stray hairs and eyebrows. The hair is rinsed with a compatible or matching fregrant rinse that blends nicely with the massage oil. Facials were also administered, both refreshing and medicinal. One could treat acne, oily skin or dry as needed. Bruises could be sucked away by leeches. Once one was so refreshed, one could peruse the boutiques and venders for new makeups, wigs, sandals made also down the street, or one could munch on tidbits offered by another vendor or one could simply enter the library for a pleasant read or reading. Never forget the stroll through the relaxing garden area nearby.

 

And one paid through the nose for this delight so only the rich enjoyed this experience or the thermae had exclusive memberships as Balbus's thermae in Herculaneum. So did they stink, sure of garlic and sweat but what a wonderful way to get rid of it.

[Spectacle in the Roman World]

Viggen...please put my name in the pot for this awesome book. Please and thank you.

J

 

 

We are happy to announce that Duckworth Publishers is giving away one copy of the upcoming book - Spectacle in the Roman World by Hazel Dodge to one lucky member.

 

This book offers an introduction to the main forms of spectacle in the Roman world (human and animal combat, chariot racing, aquatic displays), their nature, context and social importance. It will explore the vast array of sources, from literary to archaeological material, that informs the subject. It will examine the spectacles with special emphasis on their physical setting, and will also consider the variation in the provision of venues and their context across the Empire. A final section will review the modern reception of Roman spectacles, especially those involving gladiators.

 

Hazel Dodge is Senior Lecturer in Classical Archaeology, Trinity College Dublin. She is author (with Peter Connolly) of The Ancient City (1998) and editor (with J.C.N. Coulston) of Ancient Rome: The Archaeology of the Eternal City (2000). All you have to do is to reply to this mail, confirming that you are interested.

 

The winner will be chosen randomly from all replies, deadline is the 20th of August 2010

 

All you have to do to enter the draw is to post here

 

cheers

viggen

[ROME: CAPUT MUNDI Capitol of the World]

This is so awesome. So yes, please enter me in the drawing ROME: CAPUT MUNDI Capitol of the World by Peter Melaragno. I'm holding my breath and fingers crossed.

J

 

 

 

 

We are happy to announce that we are giving away one copy of Rome: Caput Mundi Capitol of the World, just post below that you would like to be included in the lucky draw.

The winner will be chosen randomly from all replies, deadline is the 6th of June 2010.

 

Good Luck!

 

 

ROME: CAPUT MUNDI Capitol of the World by Peter Melaragno

Product Description - ROME: CAPUT MUNDI Capitol of the World. FIVE stars; TWO shows; 108 minutes. 58 min for the History then a 50-min step-by-step Walking Tour by a filmmaker who actually gave walking tours of Rome. Plus your own 60-page Pocket Guide to carry with you. This 2-part DVD is a WALKERS HISTORY OF ROME that prepares you for YOUR visit. The FIRST VIDEO is 58 minutes. It sets the thematic scale of your visit and touches on all the historical layers: the pre-historic, Etruscan, Imperial Roman, Medieval, Renaissance, and the modern. But it is the SECOND VIDEO of 50 minutes that explores the city as organically as a WALKING VISITOR does. It takes you STEP BY STEP (take a right; take a left) to all the important sites and offers suggestions for EATING AND LODGING. Included in the DVD case is a specially designed 60-page POCKET GUIDE to carry with you on your tour. It has a centerfold MAP and is coordinated with the 50-minute WALKING VIDEO. And if this is not enough, once you purchase, I will send you a LINK where you can DOWNLOAD your own MPEG-4 version of the WALKING TOUR. Install it on your IPOD or other video device and carry it with you to Rome. All cities are layer cakes stacked with detail. Rome is the most deeply layered of all. Few major cities offer the WALKING VISITOR such a spectrum of choice and most of it is free and out in the open. Let CAPUT MUNDI show you the way. Buon Viaggio!

[Welcome and Introduce Yourself Here]

Hello to our two new members!

Although we may look big and all that, once you get to know your way around it will be a breeze. Please ask if you have a question

 

 

Salute Cednturio Macro

I am excited to be a part of UNRV but am struggling to get around a bit on the site and adding friends. I hope many tag me so I can get a better feel for who's out there. I love ancient Rome and write in the first century Roman Britain. So with that said...I have lots to learn

J

[Welcome and Introduce Yourself Here]

Good morning all! I am new on www.unrv.com

 

Good morning yourself and welcome

 

 

Well, I'm new and very lost on the site but am happy to be a part of this community. Now to keep up with everyone and get to know you. J

[Book Reviews By Forum Members]

Ghosts of Vesuvius...well, I've read most of it and was very impressed with the detail and information Mr Pellegrino shared in his book. It gets veryyyy detailed on aspects of creation but once into the eruption, wow. The book is tremendous. If you are intersted in science, humanity and an armchair volcanologist you'll love this book.

J

 

 

 

In order to encourage more community contributions to our quickly growing site, we've come up with an idea that will hopefully inspire some new articles. (I have stumbled across major writers block and can only seem to put together a little bit here and there, lately. Hopefully that changes as summer fades away )

 

Regardless, we'd like to offer random recently published books (sometimes fiction, sometimes non) to community members, courtesy of unrv, to review and submit as new articles on the site. We'd like to do this monthly (perhaps more depending on the response), and give as many who are interested a chance at a book freebie. However, to be fair, we want to start by limiting it to those who have already submitted reviews or other articles.

 

(presently this includes Ursus, Pompeius Magnus, Germanicus, Virgil61, Hamilcar Barca, Scanderbeg and Skarr)

 

If they decline of course, we'll open it up to anyone who is interested, and will also do so once they all get an opportunity (provided they want to do it). Obviously people have difficult schedules and this is not intended as a homework assignment, but as a way to say thank you for your support, while giving us a little bonus in return.

 

We'd appreciate any feedback on this idea from anyone, not just those folks mentioned... and we would like to get started right away.

 

The first book is a recent publication, and a timely one considering that Vesuvius destroyed Pompeii some 1,926 years ago this month.

 

Ghosts of Vesuvius : A New Look at the Last Days of Pompeii, How Towers Fall, and Other Strange Connections

 

For those of you who aren't mentioned by name... If you'd like to have an early shot at an occasional free book, just submit a review of a Roman related book you've read and we'll happily add you to those that are already in 'the club'