The Revelation

Vienna, Austria—during renovations on a soccer field in vienna’s Simmering district, construction workers stumbled upon a mass grave containing the remains of more than 150 Roman legionaries [2]. The discovery, made in late October, has been described as unprecedented, offering direct evidence of combat along the Danube Limes, the Roman Empire’s fortified border [1].

Details of the remains

• number of Individuals: Excavation experts from Novetus identified the remains of at least 129 individuals, with estimates suggesting the total exceeds 150. Previous construction had disturbed a significant number of bones.
• Burial Conditions: The bodies were hastily buried, with many lying prone or tilted, indicating a hurried closure of the burial site.
• Demographics: All remains examined were male, primarily between 20 and 30 years old, and most were over 1.7 meters tall.
• Cause of Death: The skeletons bore numerous severe wounds, especially to the skull, pelvis, and chest, consistent with injuries inflicted by spears, daggers, and swords.

As the body is pure male, it is indeed certain that the location of the discovery is not related to a military hospital or similar or that the epidemic is the cause of death. Bone injury is clear due to battle.

Novetus

Artifacts and Dating

radiocarbon analysis and examination of artifacts suggest the bones date from approximately 80 to 230 A.D. [3]. few weapons were found, suggesting they may have been looted. Though, several significant items were recovered:

• Roman Military Shoe Nails: A number of *caligae* nails, typically found on Roman military footwear, were discovered near one of the individuals.
• Iron Dagger Sheath: X-rays revealed a rusty iron dagger sheath adorned with a typical Roman decoration of silver wire, dating to between the mid-1st and early 2nd centuries A.D.
• Scale Armor: Fragments of scale armor with a more square shape than the typical round design were found.
• Helmet Cheek Protector: A cheek protector from a roman helmet, a style common since the mid-1st century, was also unearthed.

Meaning of the Find

The discovery is particularly significant because cremation was the common funerary practice in Roman-governed Europe around 100 A.D.

We are very surprised by this discovery. There is archeological evidence of the Roman battlefield in Europe, but there is no from the 1st century AD with a full-rated framework.

Kristina Adler-Wölfl, Head of the Department of Archeology of Vienna

The unceremonious burial and the nature of the fatal wounds indicate a violent military confrontation followed by a hasty retreat.

The nature of the unignlose burial place and deadly wounds in each individual shows a terrible military confrontation, which may be followed by withdrawals in a hurry.

Ade, Archeologist

Ancient Context

Historical records indicate that battles occurred along the northern border of the Danube River between the Roman Empire and Germanic tribes during the reign of Emperor Domitian (81-96 A.D.). These conflicts were part of the Germanic Wars, a series of campaigns to secure the Roman frontier.

This is the first time we have material evidence about the Germanic war carried out by Domitian between 86 and 96 AD.

Kristina Adler-Wölfl, Head of the Department of Archeology of Vienna

Initial investigations suggest the mass grave likely resulted from Roman-Germanic battles, possibly around 92 A.D.

Our initial investigation showed that almost certain the mass grave was the result of Roman-German battles, possibly occurring in or around 92 AD.

Archeologist