Archaeologists from the University of Córdoba have discovered a large Roman building near Mellaria in southern Spain, interpreted to be a major roadside station during the Roman period.
The structure was discovered near Fuente Obejuna in Córdoba province using geomagnetic surveying technology to locate buried archaeological remains without excavation.
It is 48 metres long (1,290 square metres) and has an architectural layout similar to that of a Roman mansio (official stopping place where travellers, soldiers and government officials could be housed and logistical support given).
The discovery, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, gives new evidence for infrastructure related to the Roman road network in Iberian Peninsula.
A Roman Roadside Station at Mellaria
The building is outside the ancient city of Mellaria, close to a major Roman road between Corduba (modern Córdoba) and Emerita Augusta (Mérida).
The road (Route XI in Antonine Itinerary) was part of a wider transport network used for military movements, commerce and official communications across Roman Hispania.
Although many stopping places along Roman roads have been mentioned in history, relatively few roadside stations have been securely identified archaeologically in the Iberian Peninsula.
The newly discovered structure at Mellaria is therefore particularly interesting because its location, dimensions and internal layout are similar to known examples of Roman mansiones elsewhere in Europe.
Geomagnetic survey results revealed a rectangular building divided into a series of regularly arranged rooms, together with a substantial open internal area.
Researchers suggest that the structure may have provided accommodation and facilities for travellers and animals moving along the Roman highway.
Eight Rooms and a Possible Courtyard
The survey identified what appear to be eight rooms of similar dimensions, each measuring approximately 3.6 by 4 metres.
The rooms follow a repeated architectural arrangement comparable to barrack-style accommodation found at Roman roadside stations, including examples at Carnuntum in Austria and Vindonissa in Switzerland.
At the western end of the building, researchers also detected a larger room measuring approximately 44.8 square metres.
Its dimensions are comparable to bathing facilities identified at a Roman roadside station in Rottweil, Germany, although the function of the room at Mellaria has not been established.
Another prominent feature is an open area approximately 11 metres wide, which may have served as a courtyard for animals, carriages or the temporary storage of goods.
Such facilities would have supported the movement of travellers, military supplies and commercial merchandise along the road.
The regular arrangement of the building suggests a planned complex designed to meet the practical requirements of Roman transport.
An Important Route Between Roman Provincial Capitals
Mellaria occupied a strategic position along the Roman road connecting Corduba, the capital of Baetica, with Emerita Augusta, the capital of Lusitania.
The settlement originated as a military establishment around the middle of the second century BC and subsequently developed into a Roman town associated with mining, metalworking and agricultural production.
Its location along a major transport corridor helped connect the surrounding region with two important administrative and economic centres.
According to the Antonine Itinerary, an ancient compilation of Roman routes and distances, Mellaria was situated 52 Roman miles from Corduba.
The location of the newly identified structure is consistent with this route, suggesting a possible association with the cursus publicus, the Roman Empire’s official transport and communications system.
The cursus publicus facilitated the movement of authorised personnel, official correspondence and government communications across imperial territories.
Roadside stations provided accommodation, replacement animals and logistical support at intervals along major routes.
The building at Mellaria may have formed part of this network, although its official status has not yet been confirmed.
The Role of Roman Mansiones
Roman mansiones were established along important roads to provide stopping places for authorised travellers, including government officials and military personnel.
In addition to accommodation, these facilities could provide supplies, stabling and support for vehicles and animals.
Some roadside stations also developed administrative and military functions, particularly during the later Roman Empire.
The size and internal arrangement of the Mellaria building suggest that it may have accommodated several activities associated with road transport.
Its position outside the urban centre would have allowed travellers, animals and vehicles to stop without entering the main streets of the town.
Researchers suggest that the relatively simple arrangement of rooms is consistent with a functional roadside station rather than the more elaborate accommodation sometimes provided for high-ranking officials.
More prestigious examples of Roman roadside facilities could include heated rooms, decorated interiors, bathing complexes and formal courtyards.
The Mellaria structure instead appears to have followed a more practical architectural arrangement, although its precise function and the status of its occupants remain uncertain.
Geomagnetic Survey Reveals Buried Roman Structure
The discovery forms part of an ongoing archaeological investigation of Mellaria and its surrounding landscape by researchers from the University of Córdoba.
Previous studies have used aerial photography, thermal imaging, near-infrared sensors and LiDAR technology to investigate the ancient settlement and trace the course of the Roman road.
For the latest survey, researchers employed a cart-mounted system equipped with four magnetic gradiometers and precision satellite positioning equipment.
The instruments measured variations in the Earth’s magnetic field, allowing the team to identify subsurface features and reconstruct the building’s apparent layout.
The results revealed a regular arrangement of rooms and open spaces that could be compared with known Roman roadside stations.
As the investigation was conducted without excavation, the remains have been preserved in situ.
However, the survey cannot establish the building’s precise construction date or confirm how its individual spaces were used.
Further archaeological investigation would be required to determine its chronology and function.
Further Roman Structures May Remain Buried
The geomagnetic survey also identified additional anomalies around the main building, potentially indicating the presence of further buried structures.
Researchers suggest that these features may belong to a larger roadside complex.
Roman mansiones could include stables, warehouses, workshops, bathing facilities and areas for preparing or serving food.
Further investigation may establish whether similar buildings existed at Mellaria and how the complex developed during the Roman period.
The discovery is noteworthy because there are relatively few securely identified Roman roadside stations in the Iberian Peninsula.
Although the building is still identified as a mansio in provisional terms its size, arrangement of elements and position beside a major Roman road support this interpretation.
The findings help us understand the infrastructure that enabled transport, trade and official communications between Roman settlements and provincial capitals.
Sources : Science Direct
