Samos Roman

Samos - The Roman Aqueduct

For the photo's, see below
Little is known of the 8 - 15 km long Roman aqueduct which, in the era of Augustus, supplemented the Eupalinos aqueduct (see the separate entry at this website) to get fresh water to the ancient town of Samos (in former days Tigani, now called Pythagorion).
The source might have been in the Pyrgos and / or Myli-area where remains of a (Roman) aqueduct have been found with a square channel. Via (C)hora the aqueduct entered the W side of Mount Kastro. In order to cross the streambed of St John in between Mount Kataruga and the Kastro hill an aqueduct bridge was built, remains of which are still present. After this crossing the duct followed the terrain contours, ran 400 m parallel to the last part of the Eupalinos aqueduct, just a few meters below, and continued right in front of a Hellenistic cistern with double chambers (see photos) 40 m below the Roman theater, till the Chesios valley was reached and from there presumably direction S into the harbor-area.

The most visible parts are the remains of the aqueduct bridge W of Mount Kastro and the channel annex to the cistern. For the latter, see above. For the bridge one takes the main road from Pythagorion to (C)hora. Some 250 m after the traffic lights there is a small bridge over the stream bed of St John. Turn right (by foot) just before the bridge and follow the dirt road along the stream bed. A few hundred meters behind the deserted military base there are the remains of the Roman aqueduct bridge [Continuing in the same direction, one enters the area of the N entrance of the Eupalinos tunnel]

W.D. Schram

Pythagorio - SAMOS

Item Info
Length 8 - 15 km
Cross-section m x m
Volume m3/day
Fall %
Period Augustan
Features
  • bridge
  • cistern annex


Recommended literature : non
Recommended website : none
How to visit : see above
Waypoint Location Latitude Longitude
S13-014 Roman aqueduct bridge 26.919276 37.70027
S14-012 unknown manhole / reservoir
on the W-slope of Mt Kastro		 26.920583 37.696835
S15-017 Roman aqueduct near
S-entrance Eupalinos		 26.930503 37.69402
S16-011 Roman aqueduct E of S15-017 26.927173 37.69399
S17-016 Ancient cistern plus
Roman aqueduct		 26.939728 37.693427
S18-006 Between ancient cisterne
and modern school		 26.937933 37.693382
S19-020 Modern school; end of the
Roman aqueduct? Chesios valley		 26.941494 37.693328
S20-003 Annex to the New Archaeological
Museum; ancient pipelines		 26.941336 37.691708
S21-004 Roman bath W of ancient
Samos / Pythagorion		 26.93214 37.690596
HOME More literature on more aqueducts Last modified: November, 2006 - Wilke D. Schram (wilke@romanaquaducts.info)


Roman aqueduct bridge
West part
Abutment and foot
Brick layers

View from the South
View from the North
Missing pillar(s)
Roman substructure

Opus Signinum?
Close to the S entrance
Channel in poor condition
Two arches

One arch bocked
Channel near the cistern
Close up
Cistern with double chamber

Inside the cistern
Floor plan of the cistern
Continuation
In an olive yard

Remains of the channel
At the school yard
Terracotta pipes
Roman bathhouse