Water in Mediolanum

Abstract

As is widely known, in the early 1900s the city of Milan looked very different than today because of its close
relations with water: it had a dense network of canals and natural groundwater springs. The origin of this intricate
system dates back to the process of Romanization and the beginnings of planned urban development. Since 49 BC,
when Mediolanum’s “municipium” was established, the need for new strategies for water supply and defence led to the
diversion of some rivers, with the aim of creating a self-sufficient internal water course-network. The urban stratification
of Mediolanum from the Middle Ages to the present day has obscured most of the evidence of this system; however,
combining certain archaeological evidence with the study of historical and cartographic sources could lead to a real
understanding of the city’s hydrographic system. Over the last thirty years, archaeological digs have uncovered the
remains of a number of drainage facilities, channels and pipes throughout the city; furthermore, the discovery of some
parts of the defensive moat have stimulated a debate about the aspect of the townscape during the Roman period.