A 2,000-year-old Roman service station, known as a "mutatio," has been uncovered by archaeologists in Gloucestershire, England. The discovery was made near the towns of Brockworth and Cowley, approximately eight kilometers south of Cheltenham, along Ermin Street, which connected Cirencester and Gloucester. The site was excavated as part of the A417 Missing Link project, a £250 million to £500 million initiative aimed at improving road infrastructure in the area.
The archaeological team, comprising up to 70 archaeologists from Oxford Cotswold Archaeology, spent two years excavating a 40-hectare area to allow for the construction of the new road. "We knew we would make good archaeological discoveries, but what has been revealed has exceeded all expectations," said Alex Thomson, the project manager for Oxford Cotswold Archaeology, according to a report by Ouest-France.
The mutatio served as a vital resting point for travelers, merchants, and soldiers on the busy route, offering essential services such as food, water, and stables for horses. Horse bones, bridles, and hipposandals—the Roman predecessor to the horseshoe—were discovered at the site, indicating that the facilities catered to both travelers and their horses. This suggests that the site may have been used to service passing legions as they marched along the road.
The settlement includes well-preserved remains of structures, indicating its function as a service station. The main area is believed to have consisted of two buildings with several rooms, kitchen areas, and wells, indicating it was prepared to accommodate a large number of travelers. The remains of primitive Roman ovens suggest that guests were prepared fast food during the stop, possibly bread, meat, and even snails.
Among the many artifacts unearthed, perhaps the most spectacular is a 60mm tall representation of Cupid cast in copper alloy, featuring a chubby face, hair in ringlets, and a topknot. "I imagine the Cupid figure would have been a prized possession and was almost certainly lost by a traveller," said Thomson, according to The Guardian. In a stone well, the team also found a hobnail shoe, hairpins made of bone and copper alloy, and a ring. Other items may have been deliberately left behind as offerings to the gods for a safe journey.
The team discovered hundreds of items providing insight into life at the settlement, including 460 Roman coins, 15 brooches, 420 kilograms of pottery, and animal bones. The settlement is thought to have first appeared around CE 160-180 and was likely occupied into the fourth century CE. "Being able to look at a Roman roadside settlement in such extensive detail is a rare opportunity," said Thomson, according to 20 Minutos. "It's clear that the structures we've recorded helped serve the passing trade on a busy Roman highway—it really could be a 2,000-year-old service station."
Ermin Street was a crucial route for the movement of troops and trade across the Roman Empire. Roman roads were fundamental for the connection between cities and provinces of the empire. The discovery of the mutatio underscores the sophistication of Roman infrastructure and its importance in economic and social development.
Most of the archaeological work is over, but the team has a small presence on site as the road work, due to end in 2027, continues, in case other sites of interest emerge. The finds will go on display at local museums to "help promote local knowledge of the area's history."
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.