Construction Workers Broke Ground on an Industrial Park—and Found a Roman Military Mystery

3 min readHere’s what you’ll learn when you read this story:Archaeologists discovered a Roman marching camp during construction of an industrial park in Slovakia.The find dates to the second half of the second century C.E., likely linked with the Marcomannic Wars from 166 to 180 C.E. Artifacts include military sandals that are still recognizable by the iron nails used in the soles. Experts have long believed that Roman soldiers once marched through Šurany, Slovakia, and a recent discovery of a late-second-century-C.E. Roman marching camp proves them right. An excavation conducted at an industrial park project in Šurany has surfaced a roughly 18-acre camp that archaeologists have dated to the Marcomannic Wars of 166-180 C.E. The site contains the telltale signs of Roman encampment, but some elements also show that it was deserted just as suddenly as it was formed.“The context of the find itself is also unique,” said Matej Ruttkay, director of the Institute of Archaeology of the Slovak Academy of Science, in a translated statement. “We are clearly investigating a site that ceased to exist immediately following a military conflict between the Romans and the Germanic tribes—a fact corroborated by numerous artifacts.”Although the newly discovered marching camp isn’t the typical rectangular shape, it still features the defining elements of a Roman camp. It has five entrance gates, fortifications, and a specialized entrance—known as a “clavicula”—with a semicircular ditch and rampart. Th clavicula at the Šurany site is the first discovery of this type of gate in Slovakia.The site also yielded skeletal remains—some partial and some whole—located in ditches and shallow graves. “Our preliminary findings suggest that, in most cases, these are Roman soldiers,” said Marek Vojtecek, a lead member of the research team. “Numerous pieces of Roman military gear and weaponry were found alongside the skeletal remains.” Those finds include spears, arrowheads, helmet fragments, segmented and scale armor, legionary brooches, coins, and military sandals with iron sole nails. Everyday items include an axe, a cutting tool, and a gaming die.“This discovery holds significance that extends beyond the borders of present-day Slovakia,” Ruttkay said. “Its discovery fills a crucial gap in our understanding of Roman activities north of the Danube during the final third of the second century.”The area around Šurany was long thought to have housed Roman soldiers during the Marcomannic Wars. An inscription dating to 179 C.E., carved into the castle rock below nearby Trenčín Castle, commemorates a Roman military victory and confirms their presence in the region. The discovery of the 7.4-hectare military camp near Šurany fills out that history.Ruttkay said that financial backing behind the industrial park’s construction finally allowed for the comprehensive excavation of the site. Along with the Roman marching camp, the excavations have yielded a medieval settlement from the seventh and eight centuries, a Bronze Age settlement with densely packed houses, and two significant burial grounds.Now, the team is faced with questions about the history of the Roman camp. “Who were the people buried here? What was the cause of their death? Why were the bodies often cast into deep features like storage pits or wells? What role did disease play, and what role did combat injuries? Why did we find so many objects that were rare for that era? Why were they not looted at the time? Laboratory analyses and further genetic and anthropologic research could provide the answers,” said Michal Cheben, a lead member of the research team.The artifacts were transported to the Institute of Archaeology for storage in climate-controlled facilities, and will eventually move to a variety of international facilities who will assist in further analysis. The team plans to radiocarbon date objects in Poland, study soil sediments in the Czech Republic, engage in archaeogenetic exploration at the University of Vienna, and undertake isotope investigation in Germany, Poland, and South Africa. The researchers expect that additional facilities will eventually be added to the list of collaborators.Some of the soil blocks were X-rayed prior to storage, offering a clear view of items preserved within. “It is truly remarkable,” Cheben said, “to see a Roman soldier’s original footwear and even be able to determine its size.”Tim Newcomb is a journalist based in the Pacific Northwest. He covers stadiums, sneakers, gear, infrastructure, and more for a variety of publications, including Popular Mechanics. His favorite interviews have included sit-downs with Roger Federer in Switzerland, Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles, and Tinker Hatfield in Portland.