THE SPRINGS OF CAFFARELLA

The drainage area of Almone was once divided by the Acqua Mariana.
Today their waters mix before reaching the valley of Caffarella.
The valley of Caffarella, created geologically following the eruption of the Laziale Volcano where the 'Colli Albani' are now situated, is flourishing in water arriving from other than Almone also from other springs scattered along the vast territory of the valley.
Among these the most well-known are form the 'Acqua Santa' and the so called 'Nymphs Egeria'.
Originally it appears that the Almone waters had origins from the Ferentina spring in Marino and that they later flowed from 'Colli Albani' into the Tevere, at the beginning of via Ostiense. In this location, in the roman period, as Ovidio narrates (Fast v. 335) a solemn religious ceremony took place, 27th. March, every year, it consisted in bathing the statue of Cibele and his sacred church ornaments.
The ritual, named 'lavatio matris deum' took place during an orgiastic festival, where the participants abandoned themselves to unrestrained dances, while a senior priest in purple garments performed the bathing.
The origin of the ritual can be dated back to the second Punic war in the 3rd. century.
In fact in this period, from a prophecy contained in sibylline book, it is stated that if a foreign enemy (Annibale) brought war into Italy, he would have been banished and defeated only if the Magna Meter (Cibele mother of all the gods) was transported to Pessinunte in Roma.
Therefore a delegation left immediately for Pessinunte in Asia Minore, in the Kingdom of Antalo, King of Pergamo in Troia, similar to the one of Rome.

In this city there existed the most precious temple dedicated to Cibele: from here a large scared stone was removed (maybe it was a meteorite) and transported to Rome to be positioned in the temple situated on Palatino.
Only that the ship transporting the stone came to a stop at the confluence of the Almone and the Tevere, obligating the priests of Cibele to a ritual of purification, after which, according to the legend, it was possible to continue the navigation. Grateful to the Gods, the religious authority decided to repeat this lustrous ceremony every year, which takes place every year since 389 AC, year in which it was abolished due to the incompatibility with the Christian religion.
During the course of the centuries Almone has suffered numeral diversions and canalisations, motivated above all by the necessity to irrigate the adjacent camps, in the fertile valet of Caffarella.
Today its course is recognisable as far as the airport of Ciampino on the hills and valley up to the junction Appia Antica. From here, unfortunately the pitch becomes piped into South Rome's collector. Almone received its name according to Eneide from the homonymous Trojan hero, son of Tirro, keeper of the Trojan War weapons, who died in the battle between the Trojan and Latins that preceded the foundation of Rome.
Other names were given as time evolved, during the medieval and Renaissance, among which the name 'acquataccio', of which there are two contrasting versions: according to the first the term comes from 'Acqua d'Accia' that is 'Acqua d'Appia', the second version less credible derives form the marsh aspect of the valley of Caffarella.