Thermae would be heated by a log fire before being channelled into the hot bathing rooms. The design of baths is discussed by Vitruvius in "De Architectura". "Thermae, balneae, balineae, balneum" and "balineum" may all be translated as "bath" or "baths", though Latin sources distinguish among these terms. "Balneum" or "balineum", derived from the Greek signifies, in its primary sense, a bath or bathing-vessel, such as most persons of any consequence among the Romans possessed in their own houses, and hence the chamber which contained the bath, which is also the proper translation of the word "balnearium". The diminutive "balneolum" is
Ancient Rome aid in their agriculture. By the third century, the city of Rome was supplied by 11 aqueducts with a combined length of . Most aqueducts were constructed below the surface, with only small portions above ground supported by arches. Sometimes, where valleys deeper than had to be crossed, inverted siphons were used to convey water across a valley. The Romans also made major advancements in sanitation. Romans were particularly famous for their public baths, called "thermae", which were used for both hygienic and social purposes. Many Roman houses came to have flush toilets and indoor plumbing, and a complex sewer