DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18096#0161
Africa under Hadrian
109
El-Bekri, ' on ranges of arches placed one above the other,
reaching even to the clouds.' This stupendous work was con-
ceived by Hadrian, and commenced, it is said, after his second
visit to Africa. There is reason to believe that it was completed
as far as Zaghouan during his reign, a length of about thirty-five
miles, but the extension to Mount Djougar was not finished till
the reign of Septimius Severus. A coin bearing his effigy was
struck in the mint at Carthage, having on the reverse a figure of
Astarte, as the tutelary genius of that city, seated on a lion in
front of a spring of water issuing from a rock. The most
gigantic portion of the aqueduct was that across the Oued Melian,
mentioned by El-Bekri. It was in fair preservation some sixty
years ago, but, a new bridge over the river being necessary in
consequence of increasing traffic between Tunis and Zaghouan,
the piers and superstructure were wantonly overthrown to provide
materials for its foundation. The bridge might have been con-
structed a few hundred yards higher up, and this noble monu-
ment left intact. It need scarcely be stated that the modern
bridge exhibits the usual combination of iron and stone, and
has nothing in extenuation to recommend it.
The great aqueduct, we are told, was a work of necessity.
A cry of distress from Carthage had reached Rome. For five
consecutive years no rain had fallen in that part of Africa. The
cisterns were empty, the land was parched, the harvest was
failing, and the grainships for Rome were lying idle in the
harbours. There was an abundance of corn in African granaries
to meet the immediate demands of Roman colonists and the
native population ; but for years past Rome, as well as the chief
towns in Italy, had looked to the other side of the Mediter-
ranean for their principal supply, and, as the long wars under
Trajan had withdrawn a large able-bodied population from
agricultural pursuits, the failure of the crops became a matter of
grave consideration by the Senate at Rome. There is no need,
therefore, to be surprised at Hadrian's desire for a continuance
of good harvests in the African provinces. The gods favoured
him, for we are told by Spartian that on the day when the
Emperor set foot in the country the clouds gathered, the rain
fell in abundance, and men's hearts rejoiced.1 Little wonder
1 Quando in Africam venit, ad adventum ejus, post quinquennium pluit, at que
ideo ab Africanis dileclus est. (Spart. Had. xxii.)
109
El-Bekri, ' on ranges of arches placed one above the other,
reaching even to the clouds.' This stupendous work was con-
ceived by Hadrian, and commenced, it is said, after his second
visit to Africa. There is reason to believe that it was completed
as far as Zaghouan during his reign, a length of about thirty-five
miles, but the extension to Mount Djougar was not finished till
the reign of Septimius Severus. A coin bearing his effigy was
struck in the mint at Carthage, having on the reverse a figure of
Astarte, as the tutelary genius of that city, seated on a lion in
front of a spring of water issuing from a rock. The most
gigantic portion of the aqueduct was that across the Oued Melian,
mentioned by El-Bekri. It was in fair preservation some sixty
years ago, but, a new bridge over the river being necessary in
consequence of increasing traffic between Tunis and Zaghouan,
the piers and superstructure were wantonly overthrown to provide
materials for its foundation. The bridge might have been con-
structed a few hundred yards higher up, and this noble monu-
ment left intact. It need scarcely be stated that the modern
bridge exhibits the usual combination of iron and stone, and
has nothing in extenuation to recommend it.
The great aqueduct, we are told, was a work of necessity.
A cry of distress from Carthage had reached Rome. For five
consecutive years no rain had fallen in that part of Africa. The
cisterns were empty, the land was parched, the harvest was
failing, and the grainships for Rome were lying idle in the
harbours. There was an abundance of corn in African granaries
to meet the immediate demands of Roman colonists and the
native population ; but for years past Rome, as well as the chief
towns in Italy, had looked to the other side of the Mediter-
ranean for their principal supply, and, as the long wars under
Trajan had withdrawn a large able-bodied population from
agricultural pursuits, the failure of the crops became a matter of
grave consideration by the Senate at Rome. There is no need,
therefore, to be surprised at Hadrian's desire for a continuance
of good harvests in the African provinces. The gods favoured
him, for we are told by Spartian that on the day when the
Emperor set foot in the country the clouds gathered, the rain
fell in abundance, and men's hearts rejoiced.1 Little wonder
1 Quando in Africam venit, ad adventum ejus, post quinquennium pluit, at que
ideo ab Africanis dileclus est. (Spart. Had. xxii.)