At the end of the long Valnerina Valley, near the town of Marmore in the Italian region of Umbria, there’s a 165-meter-high waterfall divided into three drops, one of the tallest in Europe.
A portion of the Velino River’s flow, originating from Lake Piediluco, plunges down the falls before joining the Nera River. Over centuries, this water has carved caves with stalactites and stalagmites, which can also be visited.
However, it’s not a natural occurrence; it was artificially created during the Roman Republic in 271 B.C. to address a problem. Hence, it’s considered the world’s tallest artificial waterfall.
In passing through the town of Rieti, the Velino River encountered limestone formations that, during heavy rains, caused water to be dammed up, forming a swamp known as Lake Velino. This swamp led to floods in the farmlands of the Sabine farmers in Rieti, as well as being a major source of diseases.
Consul Marius Curius Dentatus took action upon complaints from Rieti and ordered the construction of a canal, the Cavo Curiano, to redirect the waters to the natural Marmore waterfall and from there to the Nera, a tributary of the Tiber, thus connecting both hydrographic basins.
Unfortunately, Curius’ solution created another problem. Now, the Nera River carried so much water that it threatened to flood the city of Terni (formerly Interamna), leading to a bitter dispute between the two towns that lasted for more than two centuries until the case reached the Roman Senate.
In 54 B.C., lawyers from both sides faced the senators. Rieti hired the services of one of the toughest advocates of the time, Marcus Tullius Cicero, who had just returned to Rome after a couple of years in exile.
The people of Terni chose Quintus Hortensius Hortalus, known for frequently defending defendants accused of corruption (and winning the trials).
Some mention Aulus Pompeius as the lawyer for Terni, though it’s more likely to be Hortensius. Since 63 B.C., Cicero and Hortensius, bitter rivals, always accepted the same cases, repeatedly facing each other in court. On each occasion, Hortensius let Cicero have the last word, a strategy that some believe was recognition of his opponent’s mastery, while others consider it deliberate.
The outcome of the river case is unknown, so it’s generally considered unresolved, and water continued to cascade down the Marmore waterfall for centuries, causing inconvenience to Terni.
During the reign of Tiberius in 15 A.D., the issue continued without resolution, as Tacitus recounts:
The Interamnians argued in the same way, showing that the most fertile fields of Italy would be lost if the Nar River were divided into branches, as already determined, with the well-known danger of all becoming bogged down. The people of Rieti did not remain silent, refusing to close Lake Velino on the side that flows into the Nar, for it was certain that it would flood neighboring lands to their detriment; Nature had wisely provided for all things of mortals, giving rivers their mouths and courses and ordering their beginning and end; it was also right to consider the religion of the confederates, who had dedicated sacrifices, consecrated forests, and erected altars to the rivers of the homeland; besides, even the Tiber itself would not want to flow with less glory, deprived of its own tributes and natural greatness. The requests of the colonies, the difficulty of the work, or superstition prevailed so much that the Senate concluded, following the opinion of Piso, not to change anything.
Tacitus, Annals I.79
The fall of the Western Roman Empire worsened the problem. The canal fell into disrepair, and the swamp reappeared in Rieti. It wasn’t until 1422 that a new canal, known as the Cavo Gregoriano or Cavo Reatino, was built to restore the river’s course towards the waterfall, with Pope Gregory XII involved in the project.
In 1589, Pope Clement VIII added a dam to regulate the flow. However, the Nera’s floods in Terni persisted. In 1700, Pius VI definitively solved the problem by commissioning architect Andrea Vici to cut diagonally through the second drop of the waterfall, diverting some of the water and creating a lateral cascade. This was the last intervention and gave the waterfall its current appearance.
Terni eventually benefited from its old headache, using the waterfall for hydroelectric power since 1896. This is achieved by regulating its flow, so it’s not always possible to see it at full capacity.
The spectacle is reserved for specific hours (12 to 1 pm and 4 to 5 pm), and visitors can pay an entrance fee to admire it from two viewpoints, one at the base and another above it, likely the same spots where Pliny, Cicero, Leonardo da Vinci (whose drawings of the waterfall still exist), Galileo, or Lord Byron, among other illustrious visitors, once viewed it.
Perhaps more spectacular is the nighttime view, with the location illuminated by an LED system. In any case, the Marmore Waterfall is considered one of the most beautiful landscapes in Italy.
This article was first published on our Spanish Edition on December 5, 2018. Puedes leer la versión en español en Marmore, la cascada artificial más alta del mundo, creada por los romanos en el año 271 a.C.
Sources
- Share on:
Discover more from LBV Magazine English Edition
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
A Shipwreck from the 6th Century BC, Stone and Iron Anchors, Found Off the Southern Coast of Sicily
A highly significant archaeological discovery has come to light in the waters of Santa Maria del Focallo, in the municipality of Ispica, Ragusa province, Sicily. During an underwater excavation campaign,…
A heroon with intact tombs filled with luxurious jewels and lions sculpted in Pentelic marble, found in the ancient Greek city of Ripes in Achaea
At the beginning of October, the systematic archaeological excavation season concluded on the Trapezá plateau, located eight kilometers southwest of Aigio, Greece. This site is identified with the ancient city…
Statue Possibly Representing Cleopatra VII and Numerous Coins Featuring Her Effigy Found at the Temple of Taposiris Magna, West of Alexandria
The Egyptian-Dominican archaeological mission, led by Dr. Kathleen Martínez in collaboration with the National University Pedro Henríquez Ureña (UNPHU), has made new discoveries at the Temple of Taposiris Magna, located…
Roman Soldier Flaccus’ Tomb Discovered in the Netherlands, Dating to the Late 1st Century BCE
In late November 2024, during archaeological investigations conducted in Heerlen (Netherlands), an exceptional discovery was made: the tomb of a Roman soldier named Flaccus. This find, dating to the late…
The Mystery of the Mardaites: The Christian Highlanders Who Maintained Their Autonomy Between Byzantium and the Caliphate
In the province of Hatay, in southern Turkey, there is a mountain range locally known as Nur Dağları. Arabs call it Jabal al-Lukkam, and in Spanish, its Greek name, Amanus,…
The Jaxartes River, the Battle Where Alexander Defeated the Scythians Using Catapults, Wounded and with Nearly His Entire Army Sick with Dysentery
As its name indicates, the Spanish Cape of Finisterre (finis terrae) was considered in Antiquity as the westernmost limit of the known world. But where was the eastern border located…
Nature of the Enigmatic “Armas de la tierra” of the Coronado Expedition in the 16th Century Revealed
Recent research has unveiled the nature of the weaponry used by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado’s expedition (which crossed the present-day U.S. states of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas),…
A Megalography Depicting a Rare Mythological Scene of Achilles and Bronze Statuettes Found in a Roman “Domus” in Reims
The urban organization of Durocortorum, the Gallo-Roman city now known as Reims in France, faithfully adhered to the principles of Roman urbanism. The city was divided into blocks bounded by…
Neolithic Rondel Found in Poland Reveals These Ceremonial Centers May Have Been Managed by Organizations Similar to Secret Societies 7,000 Years Ago
An archaeological discovery in the locality of Nowe Objezierze, in the northwest of Poland, has led to a significant breakthrough in understanding the Neolithic societies of Central Europe. An interdisciplinary…
New Geoarchaeological Evidence Challenges the Identification of Kalkriese Hill as the place of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
Kalkriese Hill, located in northwestern Germany, has been identified for decades as a potential site of the historic Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 CE, a decisive confrontation between…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
.jpg){kind=link}
