A kind of Roman lodging-house. Communications throughout the Roman Empire were maintained by the provision along main roads of places to change horses (mutationes) and to stay overnight (mansiones). The mansio can· be archaeologically difficult to identify, but is frequently sited near the town gate. It might be a comfortable, centrally heated courtyard house, and it may be that use was restricted to officially approved personnel.
The Macmillan dictionary of archaeology, Ruth D. Whitehouse, 1983Copied