Remains of person from 'year 0' discovered at ancient Roman settlement

Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a person from the 'year 0' while excavating an early ancient Roman settlement in the Netherlands.

The 2,000-year-old grave, which belonged to a soldier named Flaccus, was accompanied by various artifacts, including a bronze bathing tool called a 'strigil,' pottery shards and a set of terra sigillata plates. 

The surface of one of these plates was abbreviated with 'FLAC,' a nickname for Flaccus, making him the oldest named individual in the region's history.

The remains suggest that the settlement dates to the first emperor of Rome, Augustus, from 0 to 20AD.

This suggests Flaccus was a Roman soldier stationed at Coriovallum — a military settlement known today as the city of Heerlen — around the time of early Roman expansion into the Netherlands.

Coriovallum was established during the early first century CE at the junction of two major roads: the Via Belgica and Via Traiana. These connected regions that are known today as parts of Germany and France. 

Though Coriovallum initially served as a military settlement, by the mid-first century CE, it had become a bustling civilian town. 

Now, Heerlen is home to the ruins of the ancient settlement's public baths built around 50-70 CE and are the largest visible Roman ruins in the Netherlands.

The discovery was made by archaeologists from ADC ArcheoProjecten during ongoing excavations at the Raadhuisplein, or town hall square, and provides the earliest evidence of Roman settlement in Heerlen. 

'Today, evidence was found of Roman habitation in the time of Emperor Augustus,' Jordy Clemens, Heerlen's councilmember for culture and heritage, said in a statement.

He called the find '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.' 

Archaeologists previously found pottery fragments from the early first century CE in Heerlen, but the artifacts could not confirm whether Romans lived there during that time, as they could have just been lost or discarded by people passing through.

But the discovery of Flaccus' grave — complete with both human remains and artifacts — provides strong evidence of early Roman presence. 

At first, the archaeologists mistook his burial pit for a cellar. But Flaccus' ashes quickly corrected that assumption. 

Archaeologists have emphasized how rare it is to identify non-elite, ancient individuals by name, adding another layer of significance to this discovery. 

The fact that Flaccus' nickname was engraved on a funerary object also provides new details about the personal and cultural practices of the time. 

Experts believe Roman expansion into the Netherlands began around 19 BC. During those early years, the Romans living in this region were primarily focused on military activities.

At that time, the Roman Empire was still in its infancy. Augustus — the first Emperor of Rome — was working to dramatically expand the reaches of his reign. 

Only the southern half of the Netherlands was ever incorporated into the Roman Empire, with the Rhine marking the boundary line.

But although  the area to the north of the Rhine — inhabited by the Frisii and Chauci tribes — remained outside Roman rule, it was still affected by the Empire's presence and control.

The Frisii eventually served as soldiers in the Roman army due to treaty obligations, but the tribe also fought the Romans alongside other Germanic tribes. 

The artifacts from Flaccus' grave will be cleaned, conserved and displayed at the new Roman Museum of Heerlen.

ADC ArcheoProjecten's excavations at the Raadhuisplein came to an end this week.