Fabretti - Aquis et Aquaeductibus ...Romae - 1680

THE IMPERIAL AQUEDUCTS: A MASTERPIECE OF BAROQUE ARCHAEOLOGY
First edition of one of the most important works in XVII-century archaeology and antiquarian engineering. With De aquis et aquaeductibus veteris Romae, Raffaele Fabretti tackled for the first time in a systematic way the study of Rome's ancient water network, combining direct field observation, archaeological research, and analysis of classical sources. The result is a fundamental work for understanding how the imperial aqueducts operated, feeding for centuries the largest metropolis of the ancient world. The large folded topographic plates, together with the numerous illustrations, make the volume one of the most significant testimonies of the birth of modern scientific archaeology.
REASONS FOR COLLECTING
• First edition of Fabretti's most famous work.
• Essential text for the history of Roman archaeology.
• Important source for the study of ancient hydraulic engineering.
• Complete with large folded topographic plates.
• Magnificent contemporaneous binding in full parchment.

MARKET VALUE
The 1680 first edition is considered the most sought-after edition of the work. Complete copies of the topographic plates are always valued by both classical archaeology collectors and historians of engineering. On the international antiquarian market, value generally ranges from €1,200 to €3,000, with higher prices for particularly fresh copies, complete and in original parchment binding.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
Contemporary binding in full parchment with red lettering piece and gilt title on the back. Copper-engraved vignette on the title page depicting a porcupine, the author's personal device accompanied by a Greek motto. Three large folded topographic plates, a full-page plan of Rome, and numerous illustrations in the text and outside the text. There are red impressions, sporadic stains, and handwritten notes on the title page. Collation: (2), 194, 22 nn., (2) pp. In old books with a long history, some imperfections may be present and are not always noted in the description.

FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
De aquis et aquaeductibus veteris Romae dissertationes tres.
Romae: Typis Ioannis Baptistae Bussotti, 1680.
Raffaele Fabretti.

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
The work represents a true milestone in the study of Roman topography. Revisiting Frontinus's famous treatise on aqueducts, Fabretti greatly expanded the available knowledge through pioneering field reconnaissance. His investigations allowed him to identify and describe numerous aqueduct routes, bridges, conduits, reservoirs, and distribution systems that had guaranteed the capital's water supply for centuries.
What makes the volume extraordinary is the method adopted by the author: direct observation, comparison with ancient sources, and graphical documentation. This approach anticipated many principles that would become fundamental in modern archaeology and scientific topographic research. Even today the work retains a central role in the history of studies on Roman hydraulics.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Raffaele Fabretti (1618–1700), born in Urbino, was one of the most authoritative antiquarians and archaeologists of the 17th century. After a career in service of the Roman Curia, he devoted much of his life to studying the antiquities of Lazio and Rome. His field research, together with a rigorous methodology of source analysis, contributed decisively to the birth of scientific archaeology. In addition to his studies on aqueducts, he published foundational works on Roman epigraphy, ancient topography, and Christian antiquities.

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
Published in Rome in 1680 by Giovanni Battista Bussotti, this first edition quickly disseminated among European scholarly circles. Architects, antiquarians, engineers, and historians of Roman history soon regarded it as a reference work. The large folded plates constitute one of the most important elements of the edition and are frequently missing in surviving copies. Its influence on studies of Roman topography and monumental archaeology extended well beyond the 18th century.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
Cicognara, Catalogo ragionato dei libri d'arte e d'antichità, no. 3712.
Brunet, Manuel du Libraire, II, col. 1149.
Graesse, Trésor de Livres Rares, III, p. 547.
Ebert, Allgemeines bibliographisches Lexicon, no. 7696.
Rossetti, Roma. Bibliografia, II, no. 4457.
Fowler, A Bibliography of Works Relating to Roman Antiquities.
ICCU / OPAC SBN, census of the 1680 Roman edition.
WorldCat, De aquis et aquaeductibus veteris Romae dissertationes tres, Rome, 1680.
Frontinus, De aquaeductu urbis Romae, principal critical and annotated editions.
Berlin Katalog, Archäologie und Topographie des Altertums.