Fifth Century Burial in Front of the Northern Gate of Romuliana – Anthropolgical Analysis

Abstract

The small northern gate or postern represents a part of the later fortification system of Felix Romuliana located between Towers 8 and 10 (fig. 1). It was excavated before1, however, researches of wider scope were performed for the first time in 2014, when two trenches examined the stratigraphy of this area2. One had the goal of investigating the structure of layers in front of the small gate entrance, while the other explored the space immediately outside the rampart for a length of 12 m (fig. 2). The surface in front of the gate represents a layer of lime mortar with occasional pieces of crushed stone immersed in it, created in the period of the building of the later fortification of Felix Romuliana. This level slopes northwards (towards the defence ditch), hence it was registered at 186.50 m ASL in front of the gate, while it measured 185.60 m ASL at the northernmost part of the trench 1. A layer of debris created during the collapse of the upper parts of tower 8 and the northern rampart covered the mortar level. During the excavations, it was impossible to determine the original level up to which this area was covered, considering the fact that large quantities of debris were removed in the 1990s. The point from which the research began is some 60 cm above the mortar level. Inside trench 1/2014, ca. 3 m from the northern rampart, a burial of an individual was discovered (G-1/14), simply buried into a layer of debris created above the mortar layer (fig. 3a). The mortar level was penetrated ca. 30 cm deep by this burial, hence, the deceased was laid in a layer of yellow clayish ground. The deceased’s body was laid on the back, oriented in west-east direction. His arms were crossed on his chest and his hands bent under the mandible. His left leg was partially bent outwards, and the right one was found broken at the diaphysis level of tibia and fibula. Judging by the context of the finding, the deceased’s body was laid into a simple burial pit, without any grave construction or grave markers. It was impossible to determine the original depth of the pit since a layer had been previously removed in this area. In respect to the current terrain level, the skeleton was discovered at the depth of 0.60 m. When the skeleton was lifted, three pieces of gold were discovered in the area of the deceased’s right side (fig. 3b). Those were: one solidus of the Emperor Marcianus (AD 450–457)3, a tremissis of Emperor Theodosius II (AD 408–450)4, and a tremissis of Aelia Pulcheria (AD 399–453)5. The finding of the three coins provides a firm basis for dating the burial into the period during or after the sixth decade of the 5th century AD.