KoalaKraze
Well-known member
A team of archaeologists has made a groundbreaking discovery in Croatia, unearthing the remains of seven ancient Roman soldiers who lived and died over 1,700 years ago. The male skeletons, aged between 36-50, were found in a mass grave at the site of the Roman city of Mursa - modern-day Osijek - during excavations in 2011.
The men were remarkably well-preserved, with various injuries that would have made their lives even more difficult. Some had healed wounds, while others showed signs of blunt force trauma and puncture wounds caused by arrows or spear tips. The researchers believe these soldiers were likely victims of the 'Crisis of the Third Century', a period of widespread violence in the Roman Empire.
DNA analysis has revealed that the men came from diverse ancestry backgrounds, contradicting the assumption that they were local residents. Instead, their ancestry suggests that they may have originated from other parts of Europe or even further afield.
Mursa, an important centre for trade and craftsmanship, was conquered by the Romans in the first century BC and became a significant settlement. However, mass burials like this one were not common practices during Roman times, indicating that these men may have been victims of extreme circumstances such as war or natural disasters.
The discovery has shed new light on the lives and deaths of ancient Roman soldiers, highlighting the complexities and challenges they faced in their daily lives.
The men were remarkably well-preserved, with various injuries that would have made their lives even more difficult. Some had healed wounds, while others showed signs of blunt force trauma and puncture wounds caused by arrows or spear tips. The researchers believe these soldiers were likely victims of the 'Crisis of the Third Century', a period of widespread violence in the Roman Empire.
DNA analysis has revealed that the men came from diverse ancestry backgrounds, contradicting the assumption that they were local residents. Instead, their ancestry suggests that they may have originated from other parts of Europe or even further afield.
Mursa, an important centre for trade and craftsmanship, was conquered by the Romans in the first century BC and became a significant settlement. However, mass burials like this one were not common practices during Roman times, indicating that these men may have been victims of extreme circumstances such as war or natural disasters.
The discovery has shed new light on the lives and deaths of ancient Roman soldiers, highlighting the complexities and challenges they faced in their daily lives.
️ not just local croats 
... and they went through so much trauma 
like being stabbed or hit with arrows 
... it's wild to think about how hard their lives must've been 
... but also kinda awesome that we got to learn more about them now 
It's wild to think these guys were living 1700 yrs ago and yet we're still learning about them today! 
DNA analysis revealed they came from different parts of Europe or even further afield, which blows the whole 'local boy' myth outta the water! 
I'm so stoked for this discovery, it's giving me all the history vibes! 
History buffs unite! #AncientRomanSoldiers #Mursa #Croatia #Archaeology #HistoryRevealed
. And mass graves in Roman times? that's crazy! usually they just buried people individually or in family plots. This is like, super interesting history stuff 
So, ancient Romans were all about the whole 'live or die' soldier life thing? Like, literally, if you're not dead from battle, there's a good chance you'll end up in a mass grave 
. And I guess it's kinda cool that they found some DNA from different parts of Europe? It's like, yeah, we knew the Romans were all over the place, but whoa, really? 
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like arrow wounds & blunt trauma... but dna analysis showed they came from diff ancestry backgrounds, so probs not even from the area 
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It's sobering to think about how quickly things could escalate from conflict to full-blown catastrophe.
I mean, who wouldn't want to be a Roman soldier, right? 1,700 years ago, you're still getting paid in barley and fighting off barbarian hordes... sounds like a real dream come true 
But seriously, can you imagine being one of these guys, with all those injuries and no fancy hospitals to help you out? Not exactly the most glamorous life, but hey, at least you got some decent DNA results out of it... that's gotta count for something, right? 
. But instead of Fortnite, it was wars and arrows everywhere. Some dude got hit by an arrow to the back and it just healed up lol 
Was there some massive migration happening or something? Anyway, this discovery is fire 
, gotta love learnin' about our ancient history 
and i'm totally mind blown 
. they faced all these challenges and still managed to keep fighting 
. we can learn so much from their bravery and resilience 
It's like, we can't even begin to imagine how hard their lives must have been. But at least this discovery is giving us a glimpse into the past, you know? 