Jan 28, 2008

Lost Roman Aqueduct of Livias Found

The lost Roman Aqueduct of Livias (Eusebius, Onomasticon 48:14-15 [ca. AD 330]; Jerome 49:12-13 [ca. AD 390]; Egeria AD 381-384) has been found this season. The Aqueduct was mentioned being sighted by Thomson in the 1880's (William M. Thomson, The Land and the Book: Lebanon, Damascus, and Beyond Jordan (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1885), 668–70) but not identified in modern times until Carl Morgan, Scott Stripling and I came along. I traced 165 meters of this beautiful structure with 65 meters clarified. Livias was one of three cities built (rebuilt) by Herod Antipas in the 1st century AD. This aqueduct would provide spring water from the upper spring at the foot of the Roman hill just East of Tall el-Hammam. All of these Roman ruins would be part of ancient Livias. Scott and I will be publishing an article shortly on our discoveries. There is also a monumental Roman building which we noticed last season which would be part of this site and which Thomson possibly saw and claimed was a bathhouse. We will see in coming seasons as we clear away the centuries of debris which has filled this huge building. As one our team has stated "Don't be oblivious of course it is Livias". Stay tuned for more from Livias.

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