The use of cisterns as a water supply system in Hispania Baetica: an overview

The Roman province of Hispania Baetica, located in the southern part of the Iberian Peninsula, was a large region with a variety of different geographic and climatic zones. Freshwater, required for public and domestic use, as well as for production, was supplied by employing different structural solutions, such as aqueducts, tanks, cisterns, wells, and water galleries. Furthermore, the water supply methods used in Baetica reflected the influence of different cultures, such as the Iberian, Hellenistic, and Punic cultures. An overview of this subject will be presented in this paper. This study aims to analyse the use of cisterns in the urban and rural contexts of Baetica by examining different typologies and archaeological contexts. Towns with cisterns as their only method of collecting water will be considered, in addition to cities with a combination of supply from both aqueducts and cisterns. Furthermore, we will also analyse some rural areas where cisterns were used to supply water for housekeeping and production purposes. Aspects such as water ownership and consumption will be considered for a better understanding of Roman water management.