Resumen de La navigabilis fossa di Nerone: Audacia, ingenium e utilitas
The reexamination of historical sources concerning the navigabilis fossa � connecting Puteoli to Ostia, following Nero's intentions � allows us to formulate new hypothesis about its utilitas. It was intended not only for the transport of cereals from Puteoli to Rome � the harbour of Claudius was created for this purpose � but it was meant to be a much more complex structure meant to respond to several needs. The navigabilis fossa was actually part of a bigger plan of land reclaim in the southern coast of Latium (full of swamps), in order to make these lands cultivable, productive, increasing the exportation and, last but not least, to enlarge the population in the countryside. With Nero's death this project came to an end, even thought some decades later Domitianus gave a new life to this project through the foundation of the via Domitiana, following the same path already traced for the fossa. The restart of Nero's project shows eventually how wide and forward-looking was his social and economical view ; a consideration in total contrast with the negative judgments found in historical sources about Nero's administration.
