ROME (AP) 鈥� The remains of an ancient bridge have emerged in Tiber River, near as weeks with virtually no rain caused water levels to plunge.
The bridge 鈥� known as Nero’s Bridge, named for the former Roman emperor 鈥�
鈥淣ero is the most famous person linked to this area, because precisely in Nero鈥檚 circus, where the Vatican is now located, the Apostle Peter was martyred,鈥� said Antonella Bonini, an archaeologist at 搁辞尘别鈥檚 cultural heritage superintendency.
鈥淗owever, scholars consider the bridge to be older (than Nero鈥檚 era) 鈥� built by Caligula, Nero鈥檚 uncle,鈥� she said, adding that it existed as early as 39 AD.
The Tiber鈥檚 flow has fallen below 80 cubic meters (2,825 cubic feet) per second, about half the historic average for the month of July, according to Giovanni Giganti, coordinator of the Rome civil protection service鈥檚 center for water management.
鈥淲e are facing a major water crisis. And it is a crisis that is also due to the fact that this winter we did have quite abundant rainfall, but then the dry periods … were quite long,鈥� Giganti said.
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