Conclusion

The first objective of the work presented in this chapter was to characterize the operation of the hydraulic system operated during the 6th and 7th centuries A. D. (Byzantine Period), composed of the inner aqueduct and the two first derivations.

Several data were computed. The water flow rate in the inner aqueduct was computed using the Manning equation. The flow rate and the energy losses in each of the two derivations were computed using global energy balances, coupled with local Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) simulations, realized with the commercial software Fluent 6.3.

Based on these data, the hydraulic behaviour of the studied system was deeply analysed. The two derivations were compared with modern installations.

This hydraulic analysis provides a new description of the water supply system of the city, supplementing the field observations about material, construction, chronology,...

A second objective of this work was to analyse the results of the hydraulic characterization from an archaeological point of view. Three open historical questions about Apamea were tackled. As presented in the previous section, the results of the hydraulic characterization brought significant new elements regarding the answer to these three questions. The evaluated flow rate delivered by the aqueduct is a new element leading to think that the aqueduct was the only water supply to the town. The analysis of the efficiency of the first derivation clearly demonstrates that the

Byzantine city was able to develop new efficient water supply systems. Finally, the analysis of the second derivation demonstrates that, during the 6th century, it was technically possible to provide water to the part of the city located beyond the Cardo Maximus.

This demonstrates the ability of this modern approach, coupled with classical field observations, to analyse ancient well preserved remains.