Fountains of Ancient Rome

• The City of Ancient Rome had many fountains supplied by water from the Aqueducts of Ancient Rome.
• Frontinus, who was Prefect of the Aqueducts of Ancient Rome or Curator Aquarum in 97 CE, stated that nine Aqueducts supplied water to 39 fountains and 591 public pools.

Surviving Fountains or Structures

• Fountain in Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere (c. 8th century BCE)
  • The fountain is thought to be the oldest fountain in Rome. Trastavere was on the other side of the Tiber from the City of Rome, and originally inhabited by the Etruscans, later by sailors and immigrants from the East. Trastavere became Regio XIV under Augustus.
• Lacus Juturnae (Pool of Juturna) (6th century BCE)
  • This was actually a Sacred Spring located in the the Forum Romanum.
  • It was believed to be the location where Castor and Pollux had stopped to water their horses, and the water was considered to have healing properties.
• Fontana della Pigna (1st century CE)
  • Now located in the Vatican City, this fountain used to be near the Pantheon.
  • The fountain consists of an original giant bronze pine cone over 12 feet (4m) high, with the addition of two bronze peacocks on either side.
  • The bronze peacocks were made to decorate Hadrian's Tomb in the Castel San Angelo and the originals are now in the Vatican Museums.
• Mouth of Truth (1st century BCE)
  • This water fountain, possibly the God of the River Tiber, is now located in the Church of Santa Maria, Cosmedin, Rome.

Fountains that are no longer extant

• Septizodium (3rd century CE)
  • The Septizodium was a Water Fountain built in Rome by Septimius Severus in 203 CE.
  • It consisted of a three storey high structure, with three Bays of Statues and Fountains which gave on to a reservoir.
  • The last remains were dismantled in 1588.

Location of the Septizodium, Parco archeologico del Colosseo, Rome