Mansio

In the Roman Empire, a ''mansio'' (from the Latin word ''mansus,'' the perfect passive participle of ''manere'' "to remain" or "to stay") was an official stopping place on a Roman road, or ''via'', maintained by the central government for the use of officials and those on official business whilst travelling.

Background

The roads which traversed the Ancient World were later surveyed, developed and carefully maintained by the Romans, featuring purpose-built rest stops at regular intervals, known as ''castra''. Probably originally established as simple places of military encampment, in process of time they included barracks and magazines of provisions (''horrea'') for the troops. Over time the need arose for a more sophisticated form of shelter for travelling dignitaries and officials. The Latin term ''mansio'' is derived from ''manere'', signifying to pass the night at a place while travelling. (The word is likely to be the source of the English word mansion, though their uses are entirely different). These substantial structures, normally in the form of a villa, were dedicated to the travellers' rest and refreshment. Guests were expected to provide a passport to identify themselves. In many cases infrastructure to sustain them sprang up around the ''mansio'', but also the villas of provincial officials; forts and ultimately even cities.

Ox-drawn carts could travel about 30 km per day; pedestrians a little farther, so each ''mansio'' was about 25 to 30 km from the next. At each ''mansio'' '' cisiarii'' kept gigs for hire and for conveying government dispatches ( Cisium; Essedum).
The ''Itinerarium Burdigalense'', which is a road book drawn up in 333, mentions in order the ''mansiones'' from Bordeaux to Jerusalem with the intervening ''mutationes'', and other, more considerable places, which are called either ''civitates'', '' vici'', or castella. The number of leagues (league) or of miles between one place and another is also set down.

Mansionarius or paramonarius

The ''mansio'' was under the superintendence of an officer called ''mansionarius''. As the bishops assumed control in the Christian West during the fifth and sixth centuries, the office of ''mansionarius'' developed new connotations. ''Mansionarius'' is inserted as a synonym of ''prosmonarius/paramonarius'' in canon 2 of the Fourth Ecumenical Council (451).

Examples

Britannia

*Alfoldean, Slinfold, West Sussex (subject of a dig by archaeological television programme ''Time Team'', 2006 series), one of a probable four ''mansiones'' on the route of Stane Street between London and Chichester.
*Chelmsford
*Cunetio, Mildenhall, Wiltshire. (''Time Team'' 2010).
*Dubris
*Godmanchester
Roman Mansio in Godmanchester
*Letocetum, Wall, Staffordshire
*Rutupiae
*Tripontium
*Iping

Other

*Little St Bernard Pass
* Le Mesnil
*Storgosia
*Three Taverns
*Via Augusta

Other types of way stations

Non-official travellers needed refreshment too, and different grades of facilities were available, often at the same locations as the ''mansiones''.

Cauponae

A private system of ''cauponae'' were placed near the ''mansiones''. They performed the same functions but were somewhat disreputable, as they were frequented by thieves and prostitutes. Graffiti decorate the walls of the few whose ruins have been found.

Tabernae

Genteel travellers needed something better than ''cauponae''. In the early days of the ''viae'', when little unofficial travel existed, houses placed near the road were required by law to offer hospitality on demand. Frequented houses no doubt became the first tabernae (Latin word ''taberna'' ("shed" or "hut"; from ''tabula'', meaning "board"), which were hostels, rather than the "taverns" we know today. A ''tabernaculum'' or small taberna was a portable place of worship for the Hebrews, thus producing the word tabernacle.

As Rome grew, so did its tabernae, becoming more luxurious and acquiring good or bad reputations as the case may be. One of the best hotels was the Tabernae Caediciae at Sinuessa on the Via Appia. It had a large storage room containing barrels of wine, cheese and ham. Many cities of today grew up around a taberna complex, such as Rheinzabern in the Rhineland, and Saverne in Alsace.

Mutationes

A third system of way stations serviced vehicles and animals: the ''mutationes ''("changing stations") (). In these complexes, the driver could purchase the services of wheelwrights, cartwrights, and ''equarii medici'', or veterinarians. Using these stations in chariot relays, the emperor Tiberius hastened 200 miles in 24 hours to join his brother, Drusus Germanicus,The General History of the Highways
by Nicolas Bergier, page 156. who was dying of gangrene as a result of a fall from a horse.

Stationes

''Stationes'' are mostly known though the Antonine Itinerary and may be similar to ''mansiones''

See also

* Roman Road System
*Three Taverns

References

External links

{{wiktionary
Mansio
from ''A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities'', John Murray, London, 1875.

Roman Empire