I riusi produttivi e abitativi di una mansio nella Toscana centromeridionale: lo scavo di Santa Cristina in Caio (Buonconvento – SI)

This paper deals with the fifth century residential and productive phases of the Santa Cristina in Caio, a Roman settlement functional at the cursus publicus (mansio) where between I and II centuries there ceramic production activities; the excavation revealed significant amounts of Mediterranean amphorae, dated between I and V centuries. Above the ruins of the Roman baths were built some houses in mixed technique, which reuses walls and roman building materials. On the the nearby hill of Poggio alle Fonti, we found another structure in mixed technique, probably a workshop of a blacksmith dating to the 5th century; this evidence testifies the continuation of production and commercial activities. The settlement of 5th century represents a transition between the phases of the Roman site, linked to an exchange economy and the early medieval period, based instead on agriculture and farming.