💀 Macabre discovery of 7 Roman soldier skeletons thrown into a well

The discovery of seven skeletons in an ancient well in eastern Croatia opens a window into the military conflicts of the Roman Empire in the 3rd century. These human remains, found in disordered positions, suggest a rapid disposal after a violent event, likely related to combat.


Archaeological excavations conducted in 2011 in Osijek, the ancient Roman Mursa, revealed these complete but chaotically arranged skeletons, some with their heads facing downward. The absence of valuable objects on the bodies indicates they were stripped before being thrown into the well.

This configuration recalls practices observed after battles, where the defeated were often deprived of their equipment. Analyses have dated these remains to the second half of the 3rd century, coinciding with a period of political turmoil known as the Crisis of the Third Century.

The anthropological study showed that all seven individuals were adult males, displaying various traumas related to violence. Rib fractures, weapon injuries, and traces of blunt force to the forehead were identified. Additionally, the presence of a new bone layer inside their rib cages suggests they likely suffered from respiratory infections shortly before their death, which could reflect the harsh living conditions of soldiers.



The location of the site near the Roman military border and carbon-14 dating, confirmed by a coin minted in 251, point toward the Battle of Mursa in 260. This confrontation pitted Emperor Gallienus against the commander Ingenuus, who was rebelling to usurp the throne. Historians report that Gallienus showed no mercy toward the defeated, which would explain the treatment of the bodies. DNA analyses reveal high genetic diversity, typical of late Roman armies incorporating multiple ethnic groups.

Researchers plan to study a second well containing a similar burial at Mursa, believed to hold other soldiers from the same battle.