Urban Water Management in Ancient Greece: Legacies and Lessons

Abstract

The evolution of urban water management in ancient Greece, beginning in Crete during the early Minoan period, resulted in a variety of remarkable developments on both the mainland and islands of Greece. Important developments include the implementation of hygienic living standards, advanced hydraulic technologies for water transportation, constructions for flood and sediment control, and sustainable urban water management practices, which can be compared to modern-day practices. The evolution of water management was also related to sociopolitical conditions. During oligarchic periods the emphasis was on the construction of large-scale hydraulic projects, whereas in democratic periods the focus of water management was on sustainable small-scale, safe, and cost-efficient management practices and institutional arrangements related to both the private and public sectors. Such practices and institutions are relevant even today, as the water-related problems of modern societies are not very different from those in antiquity.