A recent study has uncovered the remains of a Roman warrior in an ancient well located in Croatia. This body was discovered near the city of Mursa, modern-day Osijek, back in 2011. The findings, published in PLOS One in October, connect the remains to the Battle of Mursa, which took place in 260 AD. This battle ended in victory for Emperor Gallienus, who defeated the rebel commander Ingenus.
The Battle of Mursa is significant as it was part of the broader Roman Crisis of the 3rd century, a tumultuous period for the empire rife with civil wars and invasions.
Researchers employed radiocarbon dating and isotope analysis to conclude the warrior was between 18 and 50 years old at the time of death, having suffered multiple sword cuts, stab wounds, and broken bones.
Interestingly, the examination also provided insights into his lifestyle. It appears he had a diet primarily based on grains and showed signs of hard labor, indicating a physically demanding existence. Genetic analysis suggested he had a diverse heritage, including Scandinavian, Eastern European, and Eastern Mediterranean roots.
Mario Novak, an associate professor from the Zagreb Institute of Anthropology, who contributed to the research, shared insights with Fox News Digital. Some injuries to the skeleton had healed before the warrior’s death, pointing to a violent life filled with conflicts. “These injuries suggest he had experienced several violent encounters,” Novak noted.
The study revealed a distinction between soldiers who died in battle—indicated by front-of-body injuries—and those who were executed afterward. Among the remains, a coin was discovered, likely dropped during the chaos, as valuables would typically be stripped from deceased warriors.
Novak indicated his belief that the remains belonged to soldiers from the losing side of the battle. He conveyed the notion that the treatment of their bodies post-mortem was meant to add insult to injury, saying, “The main objective was to humiliate them even in death, casually discarding them in used wells without proper rituals.” He added, “If they were on the winning side, they would have had formal burials.”
Novak recalled seeing another grave with 25 adult males topped with a cow carcass, indicating a similar form of humiliation. After the bodies were discarded, the well was filled in and never utilized again.
From the arrangement of the skeletons—stacked but not intermingled—it can be inferred that they were placed there deliberately and not used subsequently. “Had the well been utilized later, the bodies would have been disordered,” Novak explained.
The occurrence of such mass graves, particularly connected to warfare, is quite rare within the Roman Empire, according to Novak. He pointed out that most known mass graves stem from infectious outbreaks rather than combat situations, making these findings especially notable.
