In 2025, German researcher Dirk Brandhardt discovered a small hoard of Roman coins in the city of Halle, located in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. Five silver denarii were found in a plowed field, which were likely originally stored in a purse lost or hidden by its owner.
According to a press release from the Saxon-Anhalt Monument Protection and Archaeology Office, most known Roman coins from this region are single finds, with the possible exception of four coins acquired in the late 19th century, the circumstances of which are unknown.
The new hoard consists of coins minted during the Roman Republic period. One of them dates back to approximately 148 BC, while the others date from between 82 and 79 BC. Researchers suggested that the coins might have ended up in Barbaricum, probably at the dawn of the Common Era or shortly thereafter, as the find lacks imperial period coins.
Scientists recorded significant wear on all five artifacts, indicating prolonged use. It is also noted that at that time, the Germanic people living in these lands did not use coins in the way understood today, but rather likely viewed them as valuable silver objects.
Previously, in 2017, a man from Germany illegally surveyed an area in Lower Saxony using a metal detector and discovered a large hoard dating back to the early Roman Empire. However, he only reported his findings to the police and the Hildesheim monument protection office in April of this year, after the statute of limitations for the violation had expired.
This previous hoard included one gold coin, hundreds of silver coins, a gold ring, and several silver ingots that were buried about two thousand years ago. Information about this is available on the official website of the Lower Saxony Monument Protection Office.
Archaeologists have discovered a Roman military camp in Slovakia located north of the Danube River. Specialists believe this unique monument dates back to the second half of the second century AD, coinciding with the period of the Marcomannic Wars.
Various weaponry items and several hastily made burials were found at the excavation site. Furthermore, a trace left by Roman footwear was identified in the soil. This information was published on the website of MH Invest.
Historically, a significant part of the northern border of the Roman Empire ran along the Danube, affecting the territory of modern-day Slovakia. Germanic tribes such as the Quadi and Marcomanni lived north of the river. Although major clashes between these barbarian tribes and the Romans did not occur for a long time, the situation changed drastically in the second half of the 2nd century AD. During the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, the Marcomannic Wars began (166–180 AD).
During these military actions, Germanic and Sarmatian peoples fought against the Romans, achieving significant success in the initial stages. Only closer to the end of the conflict was the Roman army able to achieve victory, after which the Romans crossed the Danube. Marcus Aurelius intended to establish new provinces, securing lands north of the river for the empire. However, this plan was interrupted by the sudden death of the emperor from an infection, and his successor Commodus abandoned this idea, making peace with his northern neighbors and maintaining the previous border along the Danube.
Since 2025, researchers from the Archaeological Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, led by Matej Ruttkai, have been conducting rescue and protective excavations across a large area in the Nitra Region, where an industrial park is planned. These lands are located north of the Danube, in the southwestern part of Slovakia. Among the archaeological and paleontological finds discovered is this Roman military camp, which most likely dates to the period of the Marcomannic Wars.
The camp is of particular interest not only because of its location north of the Danube Limes. It differs from standard Roman objects of this type due to the absence of a rectangular layout. Nevertheless, it featured classic defensive elements: a moat and rampart surrounding the perimeter, as well as entrance gates. Archaeologists determined that the entrance to the fort was protected by a structure known as a clavicula—a special passage where the fortress walls were arranged to overlap each other, forming a corridor with a sequence of gates. Such Roman fortification solutions have not previously been recorded in Slovakia.
In addition to the remains of fortifications, scientists extracted a large number of human remains, including complete skeletons. These remains were found in ditches, former utility pits, or in shallow, hastily dug graves. They were likely Roman soldiers, evidenced by the large number of weaponry items found. Finds included arrow and spearheads, helmet fragments, armor elements, including lorica segmentata, as well as fibulae, coins, sandal nails, a dice, and household items.
Michal Heben, one of the archaeologists working at the site, suggested that the placement of skeletons in non-standard graves indicates that the people may have died violently, and their burial was conducted in haste. However, this requires further confirmation during future research when anthropologists thoroughly examine the skeletons for signs of combat injuries or diseases.
Researchers extracted blocks of soil from the monument in the form of monoliths for subsequent laboratory analysis. Using X-rays, they were able to observe a trace of Roman footwear inside one of these blocks. This imprint was preserved clearly enough to distinguish the sole details and estimate the foot size.
During the Marcomannic Wars, Marcus Aurelius concluded an agreement with local tribes under which eight thousand cavalrymen joined the service of the Roman Empire. Many of these cavalrymen were later sent to Britain as auxiliary troops. Several years ago, genetic analysis allowed scientists to possibly identify one of these individuals whose burial was found in the county of Cambridgeshire and dates back to the 5th century BC.
