Cloaca Maxima, Ancient sewer system in Roman Forum, Italy
The Cloaca Maxima is an ancient sewer system in the Roman Forum, Rome, Italy. It forms underground vaulted passages made of stone across large sections, leading directly to the Tiber and accessible at several points around the old marketplaces.
Construction began in the 6th century BC under King Tarquinius Priscus to drain swampy ground and make it habitable. Later, Roman architects expanded the network with additional sections that were used and maintained for several centuries.
In Roman mythology, the drain received its own goddess named Cloacina, associated with purification. To this day, archaeological finds point to small shrines along the original channel route, where offerings were once left.
The channel can be seen only from outside, with several viewing points located around the forum. The best views are found near ancient building foundations, where parts of the masonry vault become visible at the surface.
Parts of the structure still drain rainwater from the city center toward the river. This uninterrupted function over more than two millennia makes it one of the oldest continuously used constructions in Europe.
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