Archaeologists in the Netherlands unearthed the tomb of a Roman soldier believed to date back to the beginning of the Common Era in the town of Heerlen. The discovery was made during recent excavations at the town square, where a team from ADC ArcheoProjecten initially thought the rectangular pit was a cellar. However, upon finding cremation remains, they realized it was a tomb, according to NTV.
The tomb is believed to belong to a soldier nicknamed “Flaccus,” whose name was deduced from the inscription “FLAC” carved on a bowl found among the funerary objects. This marks the first Roman burial in the area identified by name. “Never before have we found a Roman tomb from this period with a name,” archaeologists stated, as reported by Haberler.
Scientists dated the remains to the first half of the first century CE, coinciding with the early Roman establishment of Coriovallum in the area. This provides compelling evidence of Roman presence in the region during the time of Emperor Augustus.
Earthenware plates, a bronze skin scraper, and the bowl were found next to the grave. These items indicate the settlement’s connection to the vast Roman trade network and hint at Roman military life. Infobae noted that these objects allow researchers to reconstruct aspects of daily life, funerary rituals, and social organization in a region long considered peripheral within the Roman Empire.
“Today evidence has been found that the city was inhabited by Romans in the time of Emperor Augustus. A unique discovery that not only teaches us more about our past but also shows how unique the history of Roman Heerlen is for the Netherlands,” said Jordy Clemens, an archaeologist involved in the excavation, according to El Tiempo.
The discovery sheds light on Heerlen’s historical importance as a military settlement known as Coriovallum during that period. Coriovallum was strategically located at the intersection of the Via Belgica and Via Traiana, two main roads of the Roman Empire. The area was known for its impressive bathhouse, built around 40 CE, which included a restaurant and a library, serving as a multifunctional meeting place during the Roman period.
The artefacts from Flaccus’s grave are now set to be cleaned before being displayed at the new Roman Museum of Heerlen.
Excavation works in the region are planned to continue in December, according to NTV.
Heerlen housed a prosperous community where soldiers, merchants, and peasants gathered to exchange goods, consolidating a settlement that thrived thanks to its role in the vast Roman trade network. Previous digs in Heerlen had found ancient artefacts, but none could definitively prove Roman settlement since the pottery fragments could have been discarded by travelers.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.
This article was originally published at www.jpost.com
