Albulae Aquae

Albulae Aquae ("The White Water") is a group of springs located 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) West of Tivoli in Italy.

Albulae Aquae
Aquae Albulae - The thermal spring Queen's Lake (Lago della Regina)
Shown within Italy
LocationTivoli
Coordinates41.966805°N 12.720499°E / 41.966805; 12.720499
TypeRoman Imperial
History
BuilderUnknown builder
PeriodsAugustan period

The springs' water is bluish, strongly impregnated with sulphur and carbonate of lime, and rises at a temperature of about 24 °C (75 °F). The remains of a Roman thermal establishment exist near the principal spring, the so-called Lago della Regina, which is continually diminishing in size owing to deposits left by the water. Dedicatory inscriptions in honour of the waters have been found at the site.[1]

It is mentioned briefly by many ancient authors, among them, Virgil, Vitruvius, Isidore of Seville, and Pliny the Elder who mentions it in his Historia Naturalis 31.6:

Iuxta Romam Albulae aquae volneribus medentur, egelidae hae,
sed Cutiliae in Sabinis gelidissimae suctu quodam corpora invadunt,
ut prope morsus videri possit, aptissimae stomacho, nervis, universo corpori.

The tepid waters of Albula, near Rome, have a healing effect upon wounds.
Those of Cutilia, again, in the Sabine territory, are intensely cold, and by a kind of suction penetrate
the body to such a degree as to have the effect of a mordent almost. They are remarkably beneficial for affections of the stomach, sinews, and all parts of the body, in fact.

  • Ruins of Roman baths
  • Roman baths ruins
  • Another view of the Roman bath ruins with sun

References
  1.  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Albulae Aquae". Encyclopædia Britannica. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 513.
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