Page - 41 - in The Power of Urban Water - Studies in premodern urbanism

3 Fountains and theAncient City 41 Fig. 9:Sbeitla, Fountainnear the Basilica of Servus, view towards theeast. In the foreground thedecumanus, in thebackground theplatform. Southern Baths. It obstructs a passage between the baths and a residential area to the south: the traffic has thereforebeenmodified in this area66 (Fig.3). In Sbeitla, three fountains were built, one of which is dated by a dedication to the years 364–367.67 It has been suggested that the other two fountains, because of their similar architec- ture,were erectedat the same time.68 Eachonewasbuilt onamoreor less vast plaza.Onewas locatedtothesouthwestof theforum,possiblyat theendofasmallsquareoverlookingasecond- ary road.AsecondwasplacednearBasilica III, alsoknownas theBasilicaofServus: itwasbuilt on aplatformplaced over the decumanusmaximus of the city,whichprevented vehicle traffic, but allowed pedestrians to pass through via a set of stairs (Fig.9). The third one, slightly off- centre, 200m north of the capitol, is preceded by a much larger courtyard (about 20×16m) (Fig.7). Other fountains, built during the 2nd or 3rd century, have simply been restored and some- times enlarged. InMacomades,69 in 305–306, it is not knownwhether the lacus was only re- stored at the same time as a datedwater pipe orwhether it was built on that occasion, aswe sawinthecaseofCuicul. InLambaesis, thenymphaeum-septizoniumwasrestoredtwentyyears after its construction and the sponsor states that all the decoration was redone, mainly with marble.70 Architectural and archaeological studies have shown that a trapezoidal basin was addedinfrontof theGreatNymphaeumofLepcisMagna,71aswellasat thefountainofMactar,72 probably in the 4th century. An inscription fromDouggamentions the addition of a portico in front of a fountain –which is not identified among those knownon the site – also during the restoration of the hydraulic system.73 In Pheradi Maius, the nymphaeum was built in the 66 Anupdatedplanof the area is published inFévrier –Blanchard-Lemée 2019, pl. 1. 67 Seen. 14. Cèbe 1957; Lamare 2019, 369f. no.41. 68 Cèbe 1957, 170f.; Lamare 2019, 370–372nos. 42–43. 69 CILVIII, 4766= 18700. 70 CILVIII, 2657= 18105= ILS, 5626=AE 1973, 645. 71 Sandoz 2006, 406f. 72 Bourgeois 1973/1974; Lamare 2019, 353f. no.31. 73 CILVIII, 1490=26568=AE 1904, 122= ILAfr, 533=Dougga43.