Roman roadside station discovered in Spain via magnetic scanning

Archaeologists have mapped the complete layout of a Roman roadside station, known as a mansio, near the ancient city of Mellaria in the province of Córdoba, Spain. The discovery was made using geomagnetic prospection rather than traditional excavation trenches.

The structure covers approximately 1,290 square meters and measures 48 meters in length. Located parallel to an ancient Roman road that connected Corduba (modern-day Córdoba) to Emerita Augusta (modern-day Mérida), the site served as a vital infrastructure point for travelers, animals, carts, and potentially military troops.

The mapping process, conducted between 2021 and 2023, utilized mobile equipment consisting of four fluxgate gradiometers to detect subtle magnetic field fluctuations caused by buried masonry. The findings, reported by researchers from the University of Córdoba as part of the Ager Mellariensis project, reveal a complex featuring a row of up to eight uniform rooms and a western wing that shares architectural patterns with thermal blocks found in other Roman sites.