I sistemi di smaltimento idrico nella Sicilia ellenistico-romana: il caso di Solunto

Abstract

The ancient Solunto, near the city of Palermo, is, according to ancient historical sources (Thucydides VI, 2, 6), together with Mozia and Palermo, a Phoenician foundation. If the excavations conducted in the 1990s have ascertained such an origin, nevertheless the monumental archaeological evidences conserved on Monte Catalfano tell a different story. In the light of the review of the studies conducted in the last decade and of the ongoing investigations carry out by the writer, the contribution presented here aims at highlighting the new data acquired on urban planning of Solunto and, in particular, on water management in private and, above all, public buildings. After a topographical survey of the site, which is essential to understand the scope of the plant that we will discuss, we will start from the fundamental elements for the conservation of the water: the cisterns. In fact they are present in most of the buildings (private and public) so far investigated. In the course of field research it was possible to see how the aforementioned structures were connected to a sophisticated water collection and disposal network. We will then proceed to a first general classification of this water network (plant, chronology, comparisons), exposing the data relating to some key areas of the site, recognized as areas for public use: 1. the area of the “House of masks”, where a large quadripartite over ground cistern was discovered, probably belonging to a public building whose function and chronology are still uncertain; 2. the area of the agorá, where particular attention is given to the complex of the cistern under the theater, finds comparisons on a regional (Tindari) and Mediterranean (Delos) contexts, and that of the Gymnasium, in which a system of channels conveyed the waters inside a large cistern. 3. the area of the so-called “Piccole Terme”, located at the south-eastern corner of the polis, whose preparations, phases and chronology have recently been re-discussed.