Roman soldiers buried in a Croatian well

The site of the mass grave in the excavation area of ​​the new university library. Courtesy of Novak et al.

Editor’s note: The following article contains images of human remains.

Before the construction of a new university library in Osijek, Croatia, excavations revealed a surprisingly gruesome discovery: a mass grave of seven Roman soldiers who had been thrown into a well. According to a journal article Plus onethe troops probably fought at the Battle of Myrsa in 260 AD, a conflict that saw the emperor Galenus defeat the usury-paying Ingenos. More than just evidence of a bloody conflict, the tomb also sheds light on life in the Roman army.

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Disposal of the dead

The Roman settlement of Mersa (modern Osage) was the site of two bloody civil wars in the 3rd and 4th centuries. Excavations around the area continue to reveal evidence of both battles and life in the Roman settlement. During archaeological work related to the construction of a new library, excavators discovered a Roman period containing the remains of seven people. As these individuals were each thrown into the well, some even discovered the head, the team believes that the well was used as a mass grave without any preparation. It was only after analyzing the remains that they realized the full extent of their discovery.

All seven sets of skeletal remains were identified as belonging to males, with four between the ages of 18 and 35 and the other three between the ages of 36 and 50. This was already an indication that this was no ordinary burial, as this type of remains is typical of battle-related burials. Upon further investigation, the team discovered that all seven individuals were an average of 5 feet, 8 inches tall with an above average height. His bones showed signs of stress, typical of military training and work. Several of these men also had signs of traumatic wounds that had healed, and evidence of disease affecting their lungs, possibly as a result of the harsh conditions on the expedition.

Mass grave of Roman soldiers uncovered in Croatia Courtesy of Novak et al.

Many of the bodies also showed signs of injuries that were inflicted before or immediately after death. were done These included wounds inflicted either by arrows or spears, an arm wound by a sword, and several broken bones and teeth. Analysis of wound patterns showed that while some wounds were inflicted on the front of the body, others may have been made from the back, suggesting a chaotic, close-quarters battle scenario.

Radiocarbon dating of the skeleton remains to date to the mid-3rd century soldier’s death, which corresponds to the Battle of Mersa between the emperors Galenius and the Sudpar Ingenos in AD 260. According to written records, the Galleons won a decisive victory during the battle, while the Ingenos committed suicide afterwards. This newly discovered mass grave sheds more light on the battle. Several other wells containing the remains of fallen soldiers have also been excavated, although publication of these graves is still forthcoming. At least in the case of the now-published tomb, archaeologists believe that the dead soldiers were likely stripped of their armor and equipment and then accompanied by the standard Roman burial practices of the time.

Beyond that and when the soldiers died, the skeletal remains also revealed something about how these men lived and the organization of the Roman army. After conducting DNA analysis, the team pinpointed the original territory for the soldiers. Some were from Northern and Central Europe, while others were from the Black Sea and Eastern Mediterranean regions. There may also have been Sarmatians, a nomadic people of the Iranian plateau. These results show the incredible diversity of the Roman army, which recruited soldiers from across the empire and even used mercenaries or captured enemy soldiers.

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