Atlas Dwyer
Contributing Writer
Matthew Herbst, professor of hellenic studies at the University of California, San Diego, gave a lecture in Lean Lecture Hall titled “Reflections on Water and Power, from the Ancient to the Contemporary World,” on April 24.
Herbst was introduced by Professor and Chair of Classical Studies Josephine Shaya, who helped organize the event alongside Administrative Coordinator for Classical Studies Cynthia Bernardy.
Introduced by Shaya as “one of the best storytellers [she] know[s],” Herbst began his lecture by introducing a quote from the biblical Book of Proverbs, noting the heavy metaphorical relationship between the passage of water, sexual activity and the giving of life to underscore how water serves many purposes in society.
Herbst’s lecture aimed to explore five main axioms: control (who holds authority over water sources), technology (how water is transported and stored), equity and access (who receives water and who does not), public and environmental health (the consequences of water management) and culture (how water influences societal values and beliefs).
His interest in these topics began after his travels through the Colorado Desert, which averages about 3 inches of annual precipitation. Considering the difference in rainfall and general landscape between the eastern and western continental United States, Herbst has completed many trips through the Colorado Desert to explore how local climate and geography drives perceptions of water in the modern-day United States.
Herbst discussed his main points through two primary case studies: ancient Roman usage and perception of water in society, which he compared to modern water treatment, storage and usages in California’s Salton Sea. After a brief lecture on the proportion of Earth’s saltwater and freshwater reserves –– noting that only 0.3% of Earth’s surface water is drinkable –– Herbst displayed a map of the Roman Empire in the second century, explaining that the usage of aqueducts in the region was an example of both technical and artistic pride for emperors.
Aqueducts were produced with visual aestheticism as the forefront of concern — as opposed to modern water storage plants. Emperor Augustus implemented, maintained and pioneered the building of aqueducts in Rome, calling them greater than anything Egypt or Greece produced and bragging that they would improve the conditions in the empire. Per Herbst, modern aqueducts do not serve a visual purpose but still transport water for personal, industrial or agricultural usage.
Herbst finished his talk by answering questions from the audience, at which point students in attendance had a lively debate over the optimal techniques for storing and disbursing water. Students discussed many points, including the theory that water needs have driven the creation of empires throughout history.
