Remains of person from ‘year 0’ discovered at ancient Roman settlement

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

The 2,000-year-old tomb, which belonged to a soldier named Flaccus, was accompanied by several artifacts, including a bronze bathing tool called a ‘strigil’, pottery shards and a set of terra sigillata slabs.

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

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

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

Coriovallum was founded in the early first century AD at the intersection of two main roads: Via Belgica and Via Traiana. These connected regions today known as parts of Germany and France.

Although Coriovallum initially functioned as a military settlement, by the mid-first century AD 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 and provides the earliest evidence of Roman settlement in Heerlen.

“Today evidence of Roman habitation during the time of Emperor Augustus has been found,” Jordy Clemens, Heerlen’s councilor 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 AD in Heerlen, but the artifacts could not confirm whether Romans lived there at the time, as they could have simply been lost or thrown away by passing people.

But the discovery of the tomb of Flaccus – complete with both human remains and artefacts – provides strong evidence of the early Roman presence.

Initially, archaeologists thought his burial pit was a cellar. But the ashes of Flaccus quickly corrected that assumption.

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

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

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

Flaccus’ cremated remains were found in a burial pit, accompanied by several artifacts, including a bronze bathing tool called ‘strigil’, pottery shards, and a set of terra sigillata slabs.

The surface of one of these plates was abbreviated ‘FLAC’, a nickname for Flaccus. Further analysis revealed that these artefacts date from approximately the ‘year zero’

The Roman Empire was still in its infancy at the time. Augustus – Rome’s first emperor – worked to dramatically expand the scope of his reign.

Only the southern half of the Netherlands was ever included in the Roman Empire, with the Rhine marking the border line.

But although the area north of the Rhine – inhabited by the Frisii and Chauci tribes – remained outside Roman rule, it was still influenced by the presence and control of the empire.

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

The artefacts from Flaccus’ tomb will be cleaned, preserved and exhibited in the new Roman Museum of Heerlen.

The excavations of ADC ArcheoProjecten at the Raadhuisplein were completed this week.