MĂNĬPŬLUS

[ Exercitus . ] MANSĬO σταθμός , a post-station at the end of a day’s journey. The word is derived from manere , signifying to pa the night at a place in travelling. On the great Roman roads the mansiones were at the same distance from one another as on those of the Persian empire, where such resting-places (khans or caravans eras) were first provided, viz. at intervals of about 20 English miles. They were originally called castra , being probably mere places of encampment formed by making earthen entrenchments. In proce of time they included, not only barracks and magazines of provisions ( horrea ) for the troops, but commodious buildings adapted for the reception of travellers of all ranks, and even of the emperor himself, if he should have occasion to visit them. At those stations the cisiarii kept gigs for hire and for conveying government despatches. [ Cisium ; E edum . ] The mansio was under the superintendence of an officer called mansionarius .