1700-Year-Old Roman Mansio Discovered in Jesolo by Ca' Foscari Archaeologists

Archaeologists from Ca' Foscari University of Venice have unearthed a 1,700-year-old Roman mansio (ancient inn) in Jesolo, Italy, providing the first physical evidence of an endo-lagoon route that had only been hypothesized. The discovery was made in the 'Le Mure' area after two years of research involving manual coring and stratigraphic profiling. The mansio likely served imperial officials traveling via ancient canals rather than roads, distinguishing it from typical Roman waystations. The project was led by Professor Sauro Gelichi of the Department of Humanities, with collaboration from the universities of Siena and Padua. The find adds a new chapter to the history of the Venetian lagoon region and fills a gap in documentation about late antique and early medieval settlements in the area. The excavation began in early 2018 and was supported by the Jesolo municipal administration. Ca' Foscari Rector Michele Bugliesi praised the discovery as a significant result in archaeology, one of the university's leading research fields.