Skeletons found in wells identified as Roman soldiers killed 1,700 years ago

Seven completely preserved skeletons found in an ancient city in Croatia have been identified as Roman soldiers who would have lived 1,700 years ago, scientists said in a new paper.

The skeletal remains were found in 2011 during an excavation in the Roman city of Mursa, located in present-day Croatia, in a water well that had been reused as a mass grave, said the researchers, who are from several European archaeological institutions. The area was conquered by the Romans during the 1st century BC. C. and the city was an “important commercial and craft center” that bordered an active military zone, according to the newspaper published this week.

The seven skeletons were identified as belonging to taller than average adult men. Four are younger adults, between 18 and 25 years old, while the other three are middle-aged, between 36 and 50 years old, the researchers found. All were “robust” but showed “indicators of stress in the first years of life”, such as tooth wear.

The skeletons were placed in different positions and at different depths, the researchers said, but they all appear to have been buried at the same time. The remains appear to have been “dumped” shortly after death, investigators said. According to researchers, the men were probably soldiers who may have participated in a battle for the city in 260 AD or died in a later skirmish.

Several of the skeletons had injuries, including blunt force injuries to the facial bones of one and puncture wounds to the torsos of two others, which were likely caused by weapons such as arrows or spearheads, according to the newspaper. The wounds and their location were determined by analysis of the skeletal remains.

The researchers were also able to use stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen to learn more about the soldiers’ daily lives. The study found that they ate a lot of grains, including wheat and millet, and vegetables, but little meat. Four of the skeletons underwent DNA analysis, which found that none appeared to be local to the area. One was probably from northern or eastern Europe, while another was probably from the Byzantine Empire.

Researchers have explored the remains of Mursa for decades. Archaeologists have found several waterholes, small wells and other evidence of civilization.

Mursa was affected by a series of conflicts, researchers said. Many occurred during the crisis of the 3rd century, an era during which Rome nearly collapsed due to civil wars, foreign invasions and economic problems, according to News themezone sister network BBC News. The city eventually “ceased to exist as an urban settlement” after the attacks in 441 CE, the researchers said.

In:

• Rome
• Archaeologist
• Croatia