In a brutal clash that occurred sometime between the mid-first century and early second century CE, Roman legionaries engaged in a fierce battle with Germanic fighters near the Danube River. The remnants of this bloody event have now come to light, nearly two thousand years later.

During renovations of a sports field in Vienna last October, construction workers stumbled upon a mass grave. Following an examination by experts from the Vienna City Archaeology Department and the archaeological service provider Novetus GmbH, it was determined that the human remains likely belonged to soldiers who perished in a battle involving ancient Roman legionaries. The details of the discovery and analysis are outlined in a statement released by the Wien Museum, which was made public on Wednesday.

Veronica Kaup-Hasler, Vienna’s Executive City Councillor for Culture and Science, noted in the statement, “In Vienna, it is not uncommon to encounter Roman remnants when excavating or opening up the earth, given that Vindobona, the ancient Roman military camp and settlement, laid the foundation for our city.” She further emphasized, “The discovery of a Roman mass grave in Simmering is a true sensation, offering a unique perspective on the early history of our city.”

The mass grave contains the jumbled remains of around 150 individuals, all of whom were men, primarily between the ages of 20 and 30, with minimal evidence of infectious diseases. Notably, the experts observed remarkably good dental health among the remains. Although their strong teeth were not enough to save them from the injuries inflicted by daggers, spears, swords, projectiles, and other weapons, which ultimately led to their demise.

Michaela Binder, a senior anthropologist at Novetus GmbH, stated, “Given the arrangement of the skeletons and the fact that they are all male remains, it can be ruled out that the site was connected to a hospital or similar facility, or that an epidemic was the cause of death. The injuries to the bones are clearly attributable to combat.”

Besides the injuries, the discovery also included armor scales, lance tips, a helmet cheek piece, shoe nails, and a fragmented iron dagger. The dagger proved particularly useful in dating the remains, as X-ray images of the sheath revealed typical ancient Roman decorations: silver wire inlays dating back to between the mid-first century and early second century CE, as explained by Christoph Öllerer, deputy head of the Vienna City Archaeology Department. These dates underscore the rarity of this discovery.

Kristina Adler-Wölfl, head of the Vienna City Archaeology Department, added, “Since cremations were common in the European parts of the Roman Empire around 100 AD [CE], inhumations are an absolute exception. Finds of Roman skeletons from this period are therefore extremely rare.”

The discovery holds significance locally, as it provides the first direct archaeological evidence of a battle along the Danube Limes, which was part of the Roman Empire’s eastern frontier. The rule of Emperor Domitian from 81-96 CE saw conflicts between Roman legionaries and Germanic tribes along the empire’s border, likely prompting Emperor Trajan’s decision to expand the Danube Limes shortly after. Until now, these conflicts were only documented through historical sources, according to the statement.

The battle that took place thousands of years ago “could therefore have been a reason for the expansion of the formerly small military base into the legionary camp Vindobona—less than seven kilometers [4.35 miles] from the site,” explained Martin Mosser, an archaeologist from the City Archaeology Department. The finding “may thus reveal the beginning of Vienna’s urban history.”