"A sewer, a drain. Rome was intersected by numerous sewers, some of which were of an immense size: the most celebrated of them was the cloaca maxima, the construction of which is ascribed to Tarquinius Priscus. It was formed by three tiers of arces, one within the other, the innermost of which is a semicircular vault of 14 feet in diameter. The manner of its construction is shown in the annexed cut. Under the republic, the administration of the sewers was entrusted to the censors; but under the empire, particular officers were appointed for that purpose, called cloacarum curatores, who employed condemned criminals in cleansing and repairing them." — Smith, 1873

Cloaca

"A sewer, a drain. Rome was intersected by numerous sewers, some of which were of an immense size: the…

"A conduit or canal constructed, especially in a town or city, to carry off superfluous, water, soil, and other matters; a public drain. A, B, C, D, E forms used in London, Paris, and other European cities; F, G, H, I, J, K, L, special forms used in New York and other American cities. F shows a method of repairing with tiles at the bottom of an oval sewer. G, tile-bottomed sewer. H, barrel sewer...of wood bound with iron. I, a form used for large sewers. J, section of pipe sewer. K, half section of sewer having section similar to B, but also provided with a spandrel. L, the aqueduct form, used for large sewers only, it rests on a bed of concrete." —Whitney, 1889

Collection of Sewer Cross-Sections

"A conduit or canal constructed, especially in a town or city, to carry off superfluous, water, soil,…