Tiber

The Tiber is a river in central Italy, about 405 kilometers long, rising in the central Apennines and flowing generally southward to the Tyrrhenian Sea at Ostia. It passes through the Lazio region and is most famously linked to the city of Rome, which grew up along its banks.

Its headwaters lie in the Apennines, and the river collects several tributaries, including the Aniene, before reaching the Roman plain. In Rome the Tiber runs near the historic center and contains Isola Tiberina, a small island that lies within the river near the Trastevere quarter.

In antiquity the Tiber was central to Roman civilization. It provided water for drinking and irrigation and served as a conduit for commerce and travel. The Cloaca Maxima, an early Roman sewer, discharged into the river, while the nearby port of Ostia connected Rome to Mediterranean trade networks. The river’s banks and floodplain were integral to the city’s political and economic life, and the river is linked to Roman mythology and identity as the cradle of the city.

In modern times the Tiber remains a defining geographic feature of Rome and central Italy. Efforts to manage floods and improve water quality have been ongoing, with varying degrees of success over the centuries. The river continues to play a role in culture and history, and its Latin name is Tiberis. The English name Tiber, and the aristocratic given name Tiberius, derive from this river; the name also appears in place and institutional names associated with the river.