Gadara Aqueduct

The Gadara Aqueduct was a Roman aqueduct to supply water to the city of Gadara, modern-day Jordan, and the longest known tunnel of antiquity.^[1] The 170-kilometre-long (105.6 mi) pipeline was constructed in the qanat technology, that is as a series of well-like vertical shafts, which were connected underground from opposite sides by gently sloping tunnels. The longest section featured a length of 94 km (58.4 mi).^[1] Partly following the course of an older Hellenistic aqueduct, excavation work arguably started after a visit of emperor Hadrian in 129–130 AD. The Gadara Aqueduct was never quite finished, and was put in service only in sections. It was discovered and explored as late as 2004.

See also

• Decapolis

Notes

References

• Mathias Döring: "Wasser für Gadara. 94 km langer Tunnel antiker Tunnel im Norden Jordaniens entdeckt", Querschnitt, Vol. 21 (2007), pp. 24–35
• Mathias Döring: "Roman Water Systems in Northern Jordan", Proceedings of the 12th International Congress on the History of Water Management and Hydraulic Engineering in the Mediterranean Region (Ephesus, Okt. 2004), Österreichisches Archäologisches Institut, Sonderschriften, Vol. 42 (Leuven, 2006), pp. 237–243
• Mathias Döring: "Wasser für Gadara. Römische Fernwasserleitung im Norden Jordaniens, Wasserwirtschaft, H. 8 (2007), pp. 21–25
• Mathias Döring: "Qanat Firaun. 106 km langer unterirdischer Aquädukt im nordjordanischen Bergland, Schriften der Deutschen Wasserhistorischen Gesellschaft, Vol. 10 (2008), pp. 1–16
• Mathias Döring: "Wasser für die Dekapolis. Römisches Wasserversorgungssystem im Norden Jordaniens", Schriften der Deutschen Wasserhistorischen Gesellschaft, Vol. 5, pp. 183–212

External links

• Rome's tremendous tunnel. The Ancient World's Longest Underground Aqueduct, Spiegel Online International
• Gadara (Jordan), romanaqueducts.info

Roman aqueducts
Croatia	Diocletianus Aqueduct
France	Barbegal aqueduct Pont du Gard Gier aqueduct
Germany	Eifel Aqueduct
Italy	Aqua Anio Novus Aqua Alexandrina Aqua Alsietina Aqua Appia Aqua Augusta (Naples) Aqua Augusta (Rome) Aqua Claudia Aqua Julia Aqua Martia Aqua Tepula Aqua Traiana Aqua Virgo Pont d'Aël
Jordan	Gadara Aqueduct
Luxembourg	Raschpëtzer Qanat
Spain	Acueducto de los Milagros, Mérida Segovia's aqueduct Aqüeducte de les Ferreres, Tarragona Caños de Carmona, Seville Las Médulas
Turkey	Valens Aqueduct
Wales	Dolaucothi Gold Mines
List of Roman aqueducts

Coordinates: 32°40′51″N 35°52′09″E / 32.6808°N 35.8691°E / 32.6808; 35.8691