Multitemporal analyses of anthropogenic changes to the drainage network in urban areas: a case study in Rome (Italy)

and at the same time water management and supply needs were more relevant. Before significant land-use changes had started since the roman time, this area was drained by the most important left tributaries of the Tiber River, such as the Aniene River, the main watercourses of the city, the Nodicus-Aqua Mariana stream, the Almone River, the Grotta Perfetta and the Vallerano streams. Their courses became culverted or were diverted. Emblematic is the example of the Nodicus valley, standing between Aventino and Palatino historical hills, and the Rivo Aqua Mariana artificially streaming into the Nodicus drainage basin since the 1022 a.D. diversion, which probably restored the original Nodicus hydrographic system. This work aims at presenting the first relevant results towards the reconstruction of the main topographic transformations on the Tevere River hydrographic left area by analysing the current drainage network and its anthropogenic modifications. The methodological approach consists of multidisciplinary bibliographic research supported by multitemporal geomorphological and topographical analyses. The results of this work are summarized in the map of the changes to the hydrographic network.