Roman Soldier Cemetery Found During Excavation of Football Pitch in Vienna

In the outskirts of Vienna, an unexpected mass grave unearthed during the renovation of a football field offers striking insights into the early periods of the Roman Empire. Archaeologists have revealed skeletal remains belonging to approximately 150 young men, dating back to the 1st century AD. This discovery is of great significance due to the rarity of mass burials, in contrast to the cremation tradition prevalent in the Roman world.

As Kristina Adler-Wölfl, Head of City Archaeology, stated, body burials were an exceptional occurrence around 100 AD, making such finds extremely rare. The discovered remains belong to young men aged between 20 and 30, and evidence suggests they were killed in battle, as indicated by wounds from weapons like swords, spears, daggers, and arrows.

Michaela Binder, who led the excavation, emphasized the uniqueness of this warrior find within the context of Roman warfare. The disordered arrangement of the skeletons indicates that this was not a formal burial but a temporary grave made after a violent event.

This discovery aligns with the fact that ancient Vindobona was a significant military garrison of the Roman Empire. The presence of military artifacts, including a dagger with silver filigree inlays, fragments of scale armor, and spearheads, supports the hypothesis that these individuals were soldiers who died in battle along the Danube Limes, the northern frontier of the Roman Empire. This represents the first direct archaeological evidence of a battle on the Danube frontier.

Veronica Kaup-Hasler, Vienna’s Councilor for Culture and Science, highlighted the importance of this discovery, stating that each new archaeological find allows us to redefine the boundaries of our knowledge. This mass grave offers a different perspective on Vienna’s early history and underscores the importance of preserving and studying our historical heritage.

Ongoing research will include DNA and isotope analyses to determine the origins and living conditions of the individuals, which could provide crucial insights into the composition of Roman troops along the Danube frontier. As archaeologist Michaela Kronberger noted, we are facing research that could redefine our understanding of the Roman past in this region.

This unique finding not only sheds light on the military conflicts of the Roman Empire but also offers a unique opportunity to explore Vienna’s early history, paving the way for further investigations into the city’s ancient origins.

Stadt Wien

Cover Image Credit: Finding the buried bodies of early Roman soldiers is soldiers is extremely rare. Credit: Reiner Riedler, Wien Museum