History What it was
The Romans built a network of paved roads across their empire to move armies, officials, traders and messages. Traveling was slow, so roads were lined with places to stop. A caupona was an inn or tavern offering food, drink and a bed. A mansio was an official stopping place where government messengers could rest and change horses.
History How it worked
A roadside inn was often built around a courtyard, with rooms for guests on two floors, a kitchen, a dining area and stables for horses and mules. Travelers paid for a meal, a bed and food for their animals.
Stone milestones along the roads told travelers how far they had come. Roman maps were usually lists of towns and stopping places with the distances between them, rather than drawings of the land.
History Roman roads
The Via Appia, begun in 312 BC by Appius Claudius, ran south from Rome and became known as the "queen of roads". Long stretches of its paving stones can still be walked today, lined with ancient tombs.
Art In this artwork
This building is used to illustrate an inn built around a courtyard. Its design is the artist's own.
Look closer
- Find the courtyard and fountain in the middle.
- Where might travelers sleep?
Think about it
- How long might it take to travel 100 kilometers on foot, or with a mule?
- Why would an empire build roads and inns?
- Where do travelers rest today on long journeys?
Key words
- Caupona
- An inn or tavern.
- Mansio
- An official rest stop for government travelers.
- Milestone
- A stone marking distance along a road.
Use it in class
- Roman engineering: arches, concrete, roads and domes (Lesson, grades 6-10)
Sources
The history on this page is a short summary based on these sources:
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, "Appian Way"
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre, "Historic Center of Rome"
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre, "Archaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata"
