Latrine and Water Pipe @museum.de

Deep beneath the cobbled streets of SUMELOCENNA, bustling with activity, there was once an impressive structure: the central sewer, known as the Cloaca Maxxima.

This main sewer carried the city's waste directly to the Neckar River—a clever solution for keeping the city clean. And even more practical: directly above it was a public toilet, a latrine. This allowed the sewage to be forwarded immediately – efficiently and thoughtfully.

But not all residents had it so comfortable. The residential and artisan quarters usually lacked connections to the sewer system. Private flush toilets? No way. Those who lived there used chamber pots or simple toilet chairs – or paid to use one of the public latrines.

These ancient latrines were actually public places – in the truest sense of the word.

People sat next to each other, chatted, and exchanged news. The worn steps and the size of the facility show that it was a busy place. And even the appearance was taken into account – colorful murals in red, yellow, purple, and green decorated the walls. A meeting place – with style. But Sumelocenna had even more to offer: its own fresh water supply—the only known town on the right bank of the Rhine to have one! The source was over seven kilometers away, near Obernau. From there, the water flowed through a brick pipeline into a large collection tank near today's prison. The gradient was minimal – just 0,3% – but it was enough to bring around 74 liters of water per second into the town. From this reservoir, the water was distributed to various buildings via a sophisticated system of wooden pipes, known as “Deicheln.” The pipes were connected with iron sleeves – many of these so-called “Deichelbüchsen” have been found during excavations. But here, too, the rule was: Those who pay get water. And not everyone could afford the luxury of having fresh spring water delivered directly to their homes. Most had to make do with public wells.

Sumelocenna impressively demonstrates how sophisticated Roman urban planning was – with a technology that still amazes us today.