Windyrdg Posted April 5, 2007 Report Share Posted April 5, 2007 Hi There: I'm an author writing a book set in and around First Century Syria (Province). My research led me to the Cursus Publicus, which was the courier service of the Empire. At daily intervals they had mansiones, staying places. Everything I find says that these were reserved for official use...although abuses did exist. "Normal" travelers had to find accomodations in private inns, cauponea, or the wealthy could stay at a tabernea. The one thing I have been unable to find out is whether the official traveler had to pay for accomodations in the mansiones. It seems not, since they were on official business. Then again, maybe they got a room but had to buy their own food. I'm trying to be as historically accurate as possible. If anyone has any insights, I'd appreciate them. If you want to make an educated guess, that'd be OK too. Right now all I have is an uneducated guess. (Me.) Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nephele Posted April 6, 2007 Report Share Posted April 6, 2007 The one thing I have been unable to find out is whether the official traveler had to pay for accomodations in the mansiones. It seems not, since they were on official business. Then again, maybe they got a room but had to buy their own food. This excerpt from an article on the subject may be of help, and it does appear to confirm your guess that the official traveler did not have to pay for accommodations in the mansiones. The following is taken from an article titled "Requisitioned Transport in the Roman Empire: A New Inscription from Pisidia", by Stephen Mitchell, for The Journal of Roman Studies, Volume 66 (1976): The final section of the edict (II. 23-5, 49-52) relates to the provision of mansio for the governor's staff, persons on military service, and the emperor's slaves and freedmen. The use of the word mansio is interesting in this context...Mansio in this abstract sense is found in republican authors such as Terence and Cicero, and in the elder Pliny, but from the early empire on it is much more commonly used to denote a designated resting or stopping place...As such it became a technical term for the halting places of the imperial post and transport system...The terms of this section call to mind the republican Lex Iulia de repetundis of 59 B.C. which regulated the provision of hospitality to officials in the provinces. Cicero in the correspondence relating to his proconsulship of Cilicia indicates that a provincial governor, his legates and his quaestor were technically entitled to claim shelter, beds, food, fodder and other necessities without payment, both while travelling to their province and during their term of office there. Cicero also took pains to point out that he and his staff had carefully refrained from exploiting this privilege, unlike others who were not so scrupulous. It is evident from many other passages that much of the injustice which provincials suffered at the hands of republican governors sprang from violations of the Lex Iulia and similar regulations which had preceded it. A legate and his staff might demand not only food and shelter but also the most lavish entertainment. -- Nephele Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus Pilus Posted April 6, 2007 Report Share Posted April 6, 2007 The William Smith entry on Angaria also provides some support. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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