# Multidisciplinary study of human remains from the 3rd century mass grave in the Roman city of Mursa, Croatia

## TL;DR

A 3rd-century mass grave in Croatia contained seven adult males, likely Roman soldiers who died in a battle during a period of Roman crisis.

## Contribution

This study combines bioarchaeology, isotopic analysis, and ancient DNA to identify the individuals as Roman soldiers from a catastrophic event.

## Key findings

- All seven individuals were adult males with signs of physical stress and injuries.
- Isotope analysis suggests a diet based on C3/C4 plants with minimal animal or marine protein.
- Ancient DNA reveals heterogeneous ancestry without continuity to the local Early Iron Age population.

## Abstract

During excavations in 2011, a peculiar archaeological feature representing a mass grave with seven completely preserved skeletons was discovered at the site of the Roman period city of Mursa (modern-day Osijek, Croatia). The archaeological context and direct radiocarbon dating indicate that the bodies were interred during the mid-3rd century CE. Bioarchaeological analysis shows that all seven individuals are adult males exhibiting numerous pathological lesions (e.g., enthesopathies, injuries). Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes analysis indicates they had a mixed C3/C4-based vegetal diet with limited amounts of terrestrial animal protein and a very limited marine protein consumption. Ancient DNA analysis shows that individuals from the Mursa mass grave had a heterogenous ancestry. None of them show genetic continuity with the preceding local Early Iron Age population. The presented multidisciplinary analyses of the Mursa mass grave strongly suggest that the studied individuals were Roman soldiers, victims of a catastrophic event occurring as the result of the ‘Crisis of the Third Century’, most probably the battle of Mursa from 260 CE.