Bed bugs came to Britain with the Romans: scientists discover blood-sucking parasites in 2,000-year-old soil samples near Hadrian’s Wall

By William On Feb 6, 2024

The Romans may be better known for bringing baths and sewers to Britain, but new discoveries show that their contributions were not all so hygienic.

Archaeologists excavating the remains of Vindolanda, a Roman garrison site just south of Hadrian’s Wall, discovered that the Romans brought bedbugs to Britain.

Katie Wyse Jackson, a student from University College Dublin, discovered the remains of the blood-sucking pest while sifting through 2,000-year-old soil samples.

The researchers believe Roman soldiers brought the insects to Britain in their straw sleeping mats.

Mrs. Wyse Jackson says: ‘The Romans brought with them large quantities of clothing, straw and grain when they were setting up their camps. So it’s the perfect opportunity for one or two bedbugs to hitch a ride there.”

Archaeologists have discovered the oldest bedbug remains ever found in Britain at a Roman garrison called Vindolanda in Northumberland.

Vindolanda was a Roman fortress built just south of Hadrian’s Wall, at the very edge of the Roman Empire. The archaeologists found the bed bug remains in soil samples dating back to 100 AD

While it may have felt like bed bugs are everywhere after last year’s panic, these insects were far less common in the Roman world.

Dr. Andrew Birley, head of the Vindolanda archaeological team, told MailOnline: ‘The Vindolanda bedbugs are the earliest discovery from Roman Britain.’

Roman bedbugs have been found once before in Britain, at Alcester in Warwickshire, but these are from an even earlier date.

The soil samples in which Mrs. Wyse Jackson discovered the insect remains came from one of the deepest layers of the fort, dating back to 100 AD.

In the moist soils near Hadrian’s Wall, organic material is preserved for an extremely long time.

Using a method called paraffin floatation, she was able to collect two preserved thoraxes believed to be from the common bed bug or, in their Latin name, Cimex lectularius.

Vindolanda Fort (pictured) was an important site for the Roman Empire in Britain. South of Hadrian’s Wall it played a crucial role in defending the empire and supporting the other fortresses in the surrounding region

The discovery of bedbugs in Vindolanda (photo) tells us a lot about how people lived there

Dr. Birley says this discovery highlights the challenges of the soldiers’ lives here.

He said: ‘They have had to put up with an awful lot, which we might be much more likely to complain about today.’

The study of ancient insects, or archaeoentomology, can provide valuable insight into the lives and conditions of the past.

“Finding things like this helps humanize the people of the past,” Mrs. Wyse Jackson said The guard.

The researchers also discovered the remains of the grain beetle, which can be found in modern kitchen products such as flour, and the sawtooth grain beetle.

Because beetles have a specific diet and habitat, identifying species that were present in the past can tell us what conditions were like for the people who lived there.

Many of the insect remains found at the site (pictured) lived in close proximity to humans and fed on waste food and dung. This suggests that the Roman camp may not have been as clean as previously thought

Mrs Wyse Jackson said: ‘I can learn about trade, food storage, hygiene and waste management from what species are present and in what numbers.

‘I am currently finding a large number of grain and dung beetles.’

She also notes that a large number of the beetles found are “synanthropic,” meaning they live in close proximity to humans.

She adds: ‘So we’re really not dealing with a clean space here.

‘The Romans do have a reputation for being extremely clean and so it’s interesting to find all these insects that contradict that.’

But just like today, bed bugs cannot travel long distances on their own.

In most cases, bed bugs can travel about 100 feet per night, which can be enough to infest an entire house, but not enough to travel across countries.

Dr. Birley told MailOnline that the bedbugs were most likely transported to the site when the Roman soldier set up camp.

As an important garrison on the northernmost frontier of the Roman Empire, the Vindolanda Garrison brought mustered troops and equipment from across the ancient world.

There is evidence that the fort imported supplies such as wine, fish sauce, olive oil and even pepper.

Just as a bed bug is carried on an airplane today, it is likely that these ancient insects hitched a ride in the luggage imported by Roman legionaries.

He says: ‘The current theory is that the bedbugs would have been transported on the packaged clothing and bedding/necessities.

‘They (the Romans) also import carpets and wall coverings and can get a lift on that.’

How England spent almost half a millennium under Roman rule

55 BC – Julius Caesar crossed the Channel with about 10,000 soldiers. They landed in Pegwell Bay on the Isle of Thanet and were met by a force of British. Caesar was forced to withdraw.

54 BC -Caesar crossed the Channel again in his second attempt to conquer Britain. He came with 27,000 infantry and cavalry and landed at Deal, but there was no opposition. They marched inland and after hard fighting defeated the British and key tribal leaders surrendered.

Later that year, however, Caesar was forced to return to Gaul to resolve the problems there, and the Romans left.

54 BC – 43 BC – Although there were no Romans present in Britain during these years, their influence increased due to trade links.

43AD – A Roman force of 40,000 led by Aulus Plautius landed in Kent and took the south-east. Emperor Claudius appointed Plautius governor of Britain and returned to Rome.

47AD – Londinium (London) was founded and Britain was declared part of the Roman Empire. Networks of roads were built throughout the country.

50 AD – The Romans arrived in the south-west and left their mark in the form of a wooden fort on a hill near the River Exe. Decades later, a town called Isca was founded on the site of the fortress.

When the Romans left and the Saxons ruled, all ex-Roman cities were called a ‘ceaster’. this was called ‘Exe ceaster’ and a merger of these eventually created Exeter.

75 – 77 AD – The Romans defeated the last resistant tribes, turning all of Britain Roman. Many Britons began to adopt Roman customs and laws.

122AD – Emperor Hadrian ordered a wall built between England and Scotland to keep out Scottish tribes.

312 AD – Emperor Constantine made Christianity legal throughout the Roman Empire.

228 AD – The Romans were attacked by barbarian tribes and soldiers stationed in the country were recalled to Rome.

410 AD – All Romans were recalled to Rome and Emperor Honorious told the British that they were no longer connected to Rome.

Source: History on the Internet