An ancient well with the skeletal remains of seven men was discovered by archaeologists in eastern Croatia. They believe the men were once Roman soldiers who fought in the Battle of Mursa in 260 CE.
Though the remains were originally recovered in 2011, the analysis was only recently released in PLOS One journal.
The remains were found during an archaeological dig ahead of planned construction at a university in present-day Osijek, which was previously the town Mursa during the Roman Empire. The men appeared to have been tossed into the well and were found in haphazard positions.
In the study, experts found that all of the skeletons belonged to male adults: four were younger and three were middle-aged. Several also sustained injuries ahead of their deaths, including blunt force trauma to the head, fractured ribs, and weapon wounds. A new layer of bone identified on the inside of their ribcages indicates that all of them likely suffered from lower respiratory tract infections prior to their deaths.
The researchers carbon-dated four skeletons, which determined they were from the second half of the third century. A Roman coin minted in 251 CE, notably the only artifact recovered from the well, was from the same time period.
“Presumably, all of the individuals were stripped of any valuables—weapons, armor, equipment, jewelry, etc.—before they were thrown into the well,” Mario Novak, a lead author of the study and bioarchaeologist at the Institute for Anthropological Research in Zagreb, Croatia, told Live Science.
The men’s injuries and burial were consistent with those found in mass graves during war, the researchers noted, and given their location near the Roman military border zone they believe they likely died in a battle–related cause.
The Battle of Mursa in 260 CE was the result of a conflict between Roman Emperor Gallienus and his commander Ingenuus, who was ultimately defeated in his attempt to usurp the throne.
DNA analysis of the men also aligned with “with historical accounts of Late Roman armies, which frequently incorporated ethnically diverse groups such as Sarmatians, Saxons and Gauls,” the study explained.
Though it is unclear on which side they would have fought, researchers suggest that the men likely fought for Ingenuus, as historical sources indicate that the Roman Emperor was not merciful to those supported the rebellion.
Experts now plan to turn their attention to a second mass burial found in a nearby well, also in Mursa.
