Water has played an important role in the landscape design of gardens throughout the centuries. It has been used in diverse and innovative ways in both large and small scale gardens throughout antiquity. I will compare water on a larger scale at Hadrian’s villa and Sperlonga, along with Madinat al-Zahra and Pompeian house at a more intimate scale. Hadrian’s Villa was built from 118-128AD as a governmental complex in the countryside during the time of Hadrian’s rule (117-131AD). Hadrian’s villa is located 16 miles outside of Roman in the town of Tivoli. The Temple of Vesta was located at Tivoli and the site was believed to have had sacred properties of water. The site was well serviced for water which was provided in abundance from the local springs and mountains nearby. The complex had many water features throughout but for the purpose of this paper, I will be concentrating on the great Canopus Canal built in the valley of the site. The origin of the Canopus can be traced back to a similar canal in Upper Egypt. Hadrian traveled to both Egypt and Greece for administrative duties but also brought back ideas of antiquity which had a visible and direct influence on the architecture and art of this complex. The Canopus canal is quite large, long, and linear and is considered a stadium shaped body of water. The stadium and hippodrome form was brought to Rome by Greek culture; but at Hadrian’s villa the stadium from was uniquely and hybridically adapted into a grand water feature used for reception, procession, dining, and entertainment. This space was Hadrian’s grand reception area where he would receive visitors and governmental heads from around the world. The first impression of the Canopus canal gives off an air grandeur, opulence, wealth, power, and worldliness in antiquity through sculpture and architecture. The grand landscaping and engineering of the canal shows power over land and water implying or representing that the Ruler has great power, wealth, and control over his land. Guest would proceed alongside the water’s edge, which acted like a promenade engaging the water as one walks around. There was a pumpkin vault at the end of the canal where Hadrian would officially receive guests. The procession was theatrically planned to meet visitors at the end of canal so that he appears like a deity or god. The Large vault at the end of the canal was lit with lights to create the godly effect for show but it was also functional for safety reasons. The vault had a series of discrete passageways for escape but the long procession helped keep people at bay long enough for the emperor to escape. The long canal had a tall bank on one side of main body of water and flat surface along the other side. This alternation of land, water, land was a common pattern throughout the complex. Planting holes and tree roots were found along the length of the bank and juxtapositioned against statues along the other edge of the canal. The sculpture is used anchor the view along the canal and is on axis with the great dining area. Sculpture is used as a narrative and as spatial composition. The sculptures or caryatides are on only one side of canal giving asymmetry but lined up equal distance for symmetry. The trees and planting on the opposite side are also placed equal distance apart giving symmetry. The verticality and repetition of the trees and the caryatids working together give the canal symmetry as a whole. There is a delightful tension between live trees on one side and the inert sculptures on the other. The theme of dead versus alive is much like Sperlonga theme of being on top of fishery while eating fish. Much of the villa is an outdoor museum showcasing Hadrian’s political administrative travels. The sculpture embodies the migration and melting of ideas, religious beliefs, and cultures. The canal represents a globalized geography, doing the unexpected but in miniature form. It is believed that Sperlonga influence Hadrian’s canopus canal. Hadrian’s pumpkin vault receiving area looks much like Sperlonga long procession to a cave like structure. Both examples were organized on central axis that also acts as the ruler’s line of site. Hadrian entertained guest by dining around canal and used the body of water as a hybridic table for plates to float along to the delight of guests much like Sperlonga. One can only imagine the canal