What Did the Romans Ever Do for Them? Aqueducts and the Administration of the Empire

Per F. Andersson, Stockholm University
Francesco Forcher, Independent researcher
Andrea Matranga, University of Torino
Filip Novokmet, University of Zagreb
Andrea Papadia, University of York
Tomasz Zawisza, OECD

The longevity of the Roman Empire remains puzzling given the empire's vast and diverse population and its limited repressive capacity. A key explanation is cultural assimilation, yet the mechanisms through which it occurred remain unclear. This paper examines the role of a major state-led infrastructure project—the construction of aqueducts—in fostering Roman identity. We construct two measures of Romanization: Latin epigraphic density and the adoption of Roman names in Greek-speaking provinces. To address endogeneity concerns, we propose an instrumental variable approach based on an aqueduct suitability index and leverage construction dates for difference-in-differences estimation. Our findings suggest that aqueducts significantly contributed to Romanization, a result robust to multiple controls and estimation strategies. We also find that our results are concentrated in the Western portion of the Empire, where Romans faced less developed and urbanized societies, and more primitive pre-existing water management technology.

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 Presented in Session 39. Nationalist Projects, Transnational Solidarities, Colonial Legacies