Ruins of an ancient Roman watermill complex, and reconstruction, Southern France

KidnappedByKitties, 25 days ago

I don’t understand the reconstruction image, how would they transmit the power to something using it?

Most similar watermills were situated very close to workshops/industrial areas, and many used the actual building to house their millstone, workshops, foundries, gondola rotors and what-have-you.

The reconstruction makes it look like these were just power plants, dedicated buildings for the waterwheel and gearing?

PugJesus, 25 days ago

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbegal_aqueduct_and_mills

Not sure about the inner workings, but it was used to grind flour.

KidnappedByKitties, 24 days ago (edited 24 days ago)

You are amazing, that’s everything I could hope for!

Edit: Looks like it’s believed to be a milling complex to support 10-40 000 inhabitants in the nearby town of Arletum.

What an astounding feat of engineering to figure out the right amount of waterwheels to aqueduct height/flow.

And I’m guessing they would have to have had bypasses as well if any of the wheels failed.