Tunnel Entrance 1

View looking east at the western entrance into the “Vespasian/Titus Tunnel.”  Water still flows through the tunnel, toward the viewer.  In the upper right of the tunnel, notice the groove that is an aqueduct carrying water.

This channel and tunnel were begun during the reign of the Emperor Vespasian (A.D. 69–79) and completed during the reign of his son Titus (79–81).  The whole rock cut structure is over 0.9 mi. [1.3 km. long!  Portions of it are an open–to–the–air channel, while other portions of it are rock cut tunnels!

The purpose of the structure was to divert runoff water away from the harbor of Seleucia—to help prevent this important harbor from silting up.

For a map and a brief description of Seleucia Pieria Click Here.