Abstract:
The goal of my thesis is to examine and analyze the influence and importance of the Roman aqueducts in Mérida, Spain. Throughout the history of the world there has been an ever-evolving spectrum of power and influence. Although we can date the city’s origin to prehistoric time Mérida truly became a world center after the conquest by the Romans. The introduction of engineering, concrete, and the arch created a city representative of the ancient world.
Mérida stands as a Spanish city in which considerable Roman artifacts still lie visible today. The rationale for this study comes from the immense influence of the Romans on the ancient world, as well as on the one in which we live today. By exploring scholarly articles, books, and pursuing historical analysis I was able to conclude that Mérida was a microcosm of Roman influence. By examining the architecture, specifically the aqueducts, we can see that the Romans provided the source for urban living. They gave their people an active water supply and thus a way in which to survive and thrive.
What made the Romans unique was their ability to provide this basic necessity thousands of years ago. In Mérida two main aqueducts supplied the city with water from sources miles away. The ability to bring water to a site over many miles in the ancient world is an astounding feat of engineering. The conclusion reached in this thesis is that the aqueducts were a prime contributor to the success of Mérida.
