Table of Contents
Preface xiii
1 Rivers Past and Present 1
1 The Hydrological Cycle and River Dynamics 4
2 Changes in the Riverine Environment 9
3 The Watery Origins of Rome 13
4 The Geographical Setting 22
5 Problems and Approaches 30
2 Putting Rivers on the Map 45
1 Geographical Writing 46
2 Space, Measurement, and Location 53
3 Demarcating Provincial Boundaries 62
4 Riverine Identity and Cultural Affinity 64
5 Geographical Descriptions 70
6 Creating Maps 78
7 Conclusion: "The boon of a water supply" 81
3 Rivers, Lands, and Laws 83
1 Definitions 86
2 The Res Publica and Water Rights 90
3 Boundaries 98
4 Managing Disruption 100
5 Alluvial Activity and River Islands 109
6 Conclusion: Managing Rivers for the Community 116
4 Rivers in Literature, Religion, and Art 118
1 The Hydrological Cycle and Human Life 120
2 The Riverine Environment 122
3 Status, Character, and Identity 126
4 Divine Rivers and Springs 128
5 The Tiber 140
6 Riverine Legends 143
7 Art 150
8 Conclusion: "A steady column of sweet fluid" 159
5 Rivers, Armies, Fleets, and Frontiers 160
1 Military Tactics 161
2 Settlements and Military Bases 167
3 Military Supply 177
4 River Fleets of the Imperial Period 180
5 Frontiers 186
6 Conclusion: Rivers in the Service of Rome 197
6 Exploiting Rivers 200
1 Navigable Rivers: Characteristics and Problems 201
2 Ancient Writing on Navigable Rivers 203
3 Riverboats 208
4 Road and River Transport 215
5 Rivers, Roads, and Bridges 218
6 Regulating the Flow: Canals and Dams 219
7 The Riverine Environment: Water Mills, Irrigation, Drainage, and Wetlands 229
8 Aqueducts 235
9 Rome and the Distribution of Water 239
10 Conclusion: "A most gentle trader in all the earth's produce" 244
7 Movement of Goods by River (1): Spain, Gaul, the Rhine, and Britain 246
1 The Spanish Provinces 247
2 The Gallic Provinces 263
3 Along the Rhine 279
4 Britain 289
8 Movement of Goods by River (2): The Danube, Italy, and the East 291
1 The Danube and Its Environs 291
2 Italy: Arnus, Liris, Volturnus 300
3 Italy: The Padus and Cisalpina 302
4 Italy: The Tiber Valley 309
5 The Eastern Provinces 320
6 Conclusion: River Connections 328
9 Healing Waters: Rivers, Springs, Relaxation, and Health 330
1 Relaxing Waters 331
2 Boating, Swimming, and Fishing 332
3 Healing Waters and Aelius Aristides 337
4 Healing Waters: Vitruvius, Pliny, and Pausanias 338
5 Healing Waters: The Medical View 343
6 Healing Waters: The Popular View 344
7 Spas (Aquae): The Evidence 347
8 Types of Treatment 351
9 Spas, Routes, and Itineraries 355
10 Fashionable Spa Resorts 359
11 Management of Spas 366
12 Conclusion: "As long as a man is at the waters he is never dead" 367
10 Rome in Control of the Waters 369
1 Rivers as Symbols: Conquest 370
2 Rivers as Symbols: Cooperation 379
3 Reversal of Fortune 383
4 Epilogue: "The Romans always win" 385
Abbreviations 389
Appendix 1 Spas in the Roman World 393
Appendix 2 Navigable Rivers according to Ancient Authors 405
Notes 411
Bibliography 507
Index of Persons 559
Index of Places 567
General Index 581
