-
A 2,000-year-old tomb discovered in Heerlen, Netherlands, contained the remains of a Roman soldier.
-
The site was first believed to be a cellar, but was determined to be a tomb after the discovery of an assortment of burial artifacts.
-
The soldier was identified as Flaccus after his nickname was seen on a terra sigillata bowl.
During an ADC ArcheoProjecten excavation near the town’s Raadhuisplein—translated as Town Hall Square—a team of archaeologists found what initially looked to be a cellar. But after further exploration, they found it was rife with bronze pieces, pottery, terra sigillata bowls and plates, and, most significantly, cremated remains—not exactly something you store in a cellar.
They realized they had stumbled upon an ancient tomb, and it didn’t take long to figure out whose.
The clay bowls held a key clue, as the abbreviation “FLAC” was engraved onto their sides, according to a statement from the town of Heerlen. The abbreviation serves as a nickname for Flaccus. Along with the bowl, the archaeologists found a personal bronze skin scraper and four different plates. The pottery, which comes from Italy, confirmed that Flaccus was a Roman soldier. “It is a unique find because it is not only the oldest Roman grave in Heerlen, but also because no name was known there before,” the statement reads.
The find was dated to the year 0 and is the “most unique evidence of Roman habitation at this location.” Researchers had not previously found a Roman grave for this period accompanied by a name in the region.
The tomb and its personal artifacts are some of the first true pieces of evidence of an early Roman presence in the area. The settlement, likely the area’s first from the Roman expansion, was known as Coriovallum, and the deceased Flaccus is now the oldest known name of an individual in the city’s history.
The Raadhuisplein, located near the historical roads Via Belgica and Via Traina, was likely also an important location in the middle of Coriovallum, which became Heerlen centuries later. It served as a connection between Germany and France, a crossroads that contained a Roman military presence. It later grew into a more civilian-focused town and public baths built between 50 and 70 A.D., discovered in Heerlen in 1940, are still the largest visible Roman ruins in the Netherlands, according to Archaeology Magazine.
The artifacts from the tomb will eventually go on display at the Roman Museum of Heerlen
“Evidence was found of Roman habitation in the time of Emperor Augusts,” said Jordy Clemens, Heerlen’s councilmember for culture and heritage, according to Archaeology Magazine. “A unique discovery that not only teaches us more about our past, but also shows how unique the story of Roman Heerlen is for the Netherlands.”
You Might Also Like
