Sextus Julius Frontinus (–103)

Sextus Julius Frontinus (ca. 40–103 AD) was one of the most distinguished Roman aristocrats of the late 1st century AD: he was grandson of Aulus Julius Frontinus and Cornelia Africana, the only child of Publius Cornelius Scipio[1]. He is best known to the post-Classical world as an author of technical treatises, especially one dealing with the aqueducts of Rome.

In 70 AD, he was praetor, and five years later was sent into Britain to succeed Quintus Petillius Cerialis as governor of that island. He subdued the Silures and other tribes of Wales hostile to Roman invasion, establishing a new base at Caerleon or Isca Augusta for Legio II Augusta and a network of smaller forts fifteen to twenty kilometres apart for his auxiliary units. One of these forts would have been Luentinum, which controlled the gold mine of Dolaucothi, worked by numerous aqueducts. He was succeeded by Gnaeus Julius Agricola in 78. Agricola was the father-in-law of the famous historian Tacitus.

In 95, he was appointed Water Commissioner of the aqueducts (curator aquarum) at Rome by the emperor Nerva, an office only conferred upon persons of very high standing. He was also a member of the College of Augurs. He produced an official report on the state of the aqueducts serving the city of Rome towards the end of the 1st century AD, the first official report of an investigation about engineering works ever to have been published.[citation needed]

In this capacity, he followed another distinguished Roman statesman, Agrippa, the friend, ally and son-in-law of Augustus, who organised in 34 BC a campaign of public repairs and improvements, including renovation of the aqueduct Aqua Marcia and an extension of its pipes to cover more of the city. Through his actions after being elected in 33 BC as one of the aediles (officials responsible for Rome's buildings and festivals), the streets were repaired and the sewers were cleaned and renovated. Agrippa signalized his tenure of office by enlarging and restoring the Cloaca Maxima, the main sewer in Rome, constructing thermae and porticos, and laying out gardens.

His chief work is De aquaeductu, in two books, an official report to the emperor on the state of the aqueducts of Rome. It presents a history and description of the water-supply of Rome, including the laws relating to its use and maintenance. The history of all the aqueducts of Rome is described including details of the sizes of the channels and discharge rates, such as Aqua Appia, Aqua Alsietina, Aqua Tepula, Anio Novus, Aqua Virgo, and Aqua Claudia.

Aqua Traiana was built later and finished in 109 AD. It is the highest of all the Roman aqueducts, and ends at the Janiculum in a series of water mills. Frontinus describes the quality of water delivered by each, mainly depending on their source, be it river, lake, or spring.

Frontinus also wrote a theoretical treatise on military science, which is lost. His extant work on military matters, the Stratagems (Latin: Strategemata), is a collection of examples of military stratagems from Greek and Roman history, for the use of generals. He draws on his own experience as a general in Germany under Domitian, but similarities between the anecdotes he records and versions of other Roman authors like Valerius Maximus and Livy suggest that he drew mainly on literary sources. The authenticity of the fourth book has been challenged.[2] One example he gives of control of river water during a siege:

Lucius Metellus, when fighting in Hither Spain, diverted the course of a river and directed it from a higher level against the camp of the enemy, which was located on low ground. Then, when the enemy were in a panic from the sudden flood, he had them slain by men whom he had stationed in ambush for this very purpose.

My impression of Frontinus is that of a conscientious Late Roman who if not brilliant was striving to be an able administrator and by all accounts he succeeded. He hearkens back to a Republican ideal of serving Rome and its people admirably. In this he succeeds.

Since there was no equivalent to West Point or a military academy in Rome it is problematic to grasp how the Strategems was employed. The Cursus Honorum meant that young Romans learned more from first-hand experience than academic instruction.… (más)