The Tiber River
The Tiber River and the city of Rome are inextricably linked. The Colosseum, Pantheon, and Forum all sat east of the river. Castel Sant'Angelo, the Emperor Hadrian's family mausoleum, was built directly on the west riverbank. The Tiber provided freshwater for the ancient Romans, their livestock, and their crops.
While the reasons for Rome's rise and endurance as an Empire are innumerable, geography played a key role. Rome, which started as a small village before growing into the center of a vast empire, benefited economically, culturally, and strategically thanks to its location on the Tiber.
The Tiber was so important to the ancient Romans that it played a key role in the city's founding myth.
Geography
The Tiber River originates in the Apennine Mountains, in northwest Italy. It winds south across the middle of the peninsula, through Rome, and continues further south where it joins the Aniene River before emptying into the Tyrrhenian Sea on Italy's west coast.
The river's source is two separate springs at Mount Fumaiolo, 1,268 miles above sea level, that draw water from an underground aquifer.
The Tiber is 252 miles long, making it Italy's third longest river. Its basin measures 6,709 square miles. The river is 7 feet to 20 feet deep. Rome is about 15 miles inland from the mouth of the Tiber on the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Tiber Island sits in the middle of the river east of Trastevere and west of the site of the Forum. This island was a trading hub and connecting point between both sides of the river before bridges were constructed because the surrounding water was relatively shallow.
History
Originally, the river was called Albula due to the white hue of its water caused by sediment carried down from the mountains. According to legend, it was renamed the Tiber in honor of Tiberinus, the ninth king of Alba Longa, who reportedly drowned in the river.
People were drawn to areas along the Tiber and settled due in part to the fertile soil created by its proximity to the river. The topography was diverse enough for them to successfully cultivate crops and raise livestock.
Military Significance
The Tiber also provided a defensive military advantage to the early Romans by acting as a natural barrier to invaders from the east. Ancient Romans were able to fortify themselves along the river bend and utilize their position to fend off attacks.
As Rome grew, they were able to reap the benefits of life as a coastal city, without the vulnerability of rapid and unexpected naval assaults. Ostia, at the mouth of the river, became a key naval base during the Punic Wars (264–146 BC), which lead to the destruction of Carthage and Rome's dominance throughout the Mediterranean region.
Ostia provided adequate defense for Rome while serving as a viable launching point for attacks.
Trade
The Tiber connected the city of Rome to Ostia, a vital ancient port. While all roads led to Rome, the Tiber led to the sea. Importers and exporters could move their goods quickly across the Empire and exchange cargo on ships headed across the Mediterranean. The docks and warehouses dotted along the ancient Tiber would have bustled with traders moving carts loaded with amphorae pots to and from the waiting ships.
Written accounts indicate that traders were able to travel about 60 miles upstream with goods, enabling rapid and less arduous transport to the north.
Access to water allowed the Romans to bring in building materials, including stone and timber, which accelerated the city's expansion. The Empire was also able to import goods from colonies across the Mediterranean, and even further beyod such as fine silk from the East, while engaging in a cultural exchange that fueled new ideas and technological advancement.
Sewage and Sanitation
The flowing Tiber was the receptacle for the Cloaca Maxima, Rome's water management system. It was constructed around 600 BC to direct rainwater away from the city. The Cloaca Maxima was lined with stone and covered with a roof around 300 BC to direct storm runoff to the river more predictably.
The Cloaca was later expanded by Augustus Caesar around 20 BC to connect it to public baths and toilets, making it the world's first sewage system. While it's been replaced by modern waste removal infrastructure, the Cloaca Maxima still serves as a storm runoff system in the present-day city of Rome.
Flooding
While founding the city along a riverbank had strategic defense and commercial benefits, the Romans had to deal with periodic flooding. Despite its hilly topography, Rome was established on a marsh, and so the most common area along the entire river to flood was the section near the city.
The population of ancient Rome accepted floods as a burden worth bearing when weighed against the various benefits afforded by the river. Despite their engineering prowess, the Romans were never able to build an effective containment system, and the residents of Rome had to contend with regular flooding all the way up until the 18th century, when high stone walls were erected to protect the city.
Bridges
Eight bridges spanned the Tiber at various points during Imperial Rome and the time of the Roman emperors, of which four survive today:
- Milvio Bridge, a stone construction erected in 109 BC
- Hadrian’s Bridge, constructed in 134 AD
- Ponte Sisto, built as part of the Ponte di Agrippa route in 215 AD
- Pons Cestius and Ponte Fabricio constructed in 62 BC to link each side of Tiber Island to the river banks
Cultural Significance
According to Roman mythology, the daughter of the Alba Longa's murdered king gave birth to twin brothers, Romulus and Remus. The twins were considered a threat to the new king and cast along the banks of the Tiber. Their ancestor Tiberinus, who was considered a god, saved them.
They were then raised along the banks of the Tiber as shepherds before rising to leadership positions as their natural abilities emerged. Eventually, the brothers fell into a dispute about where to build their cities. The conflict ended when Romulus killed Remus and went on to found Rome, ruling as Rome's first king.
The Tiber River Today
Today, the river still provides Rome with fresh water, and there are many walking and biking trails along the riverbanks. Water has always been a strong connecting point for Romans for its cleansing and renewing properties. In fact, many Romans dive into the river as a New Year's Day tradition!
