A commemorative inscription in Latin celebrates the opening of the water supply brought by the Marcio Aqueduct into Rome’s distribution network, inaugurated in 1923. Not only does the text celebrate the beneficial and healthful effects of the newly completed work, it also mentions the ancient origins of the aqueduct, the construction of which was ordered by the Roman praetor Quintus Marcius Rex in 144 BC. This was one of the longest in the city at 94.4 kilometres and its water was considered by Pliny the Elder to be the best on earth for its freshness and wholesomeness, a gift from the gods to the city.
2. Plaque of Acqua Marcia.