During renovations in Vienna’s Simmering district, construction workers uncovered mass graves containing approximately 150 bodies, believed to belong to Roman legionnaires who died in battle nearly 2,000 years ago. Archaeological investigations revealed that the individuals were predominantly young males aged 20 to 30, with trauma consistent with combat injuries, indicating they likely perished in conflict rather than from illness or epidemics.
The excavation also revealed Roman artifacts, such as armor scales and daggers, which helped date the site to the 2nd century AD, coinciding with documented Roman military activities in the region. The discovery is significant because burials during this period typically involved cremation, making the skeletal remains exceptionally rare and valuable for historical understanding.
The site, located near Vindobona, an ancient Roman military camp, provides direct archaeological evidence of conflicts between Romans and Germanic tribes along the Danube River. This finding enhances historical narratives about Vienna’s early military and urban development, marking a crucial moment in the city’s Roman heritage. Veronica Kaup Hustler from Vienna’s Council for Cultural Sciences emphasized the importance of these discoveries in reshaping the understanding of the city’s ancient roots and military history.
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