Workers Were Digging in Slovakia to Build an Industrial Park When They Uncovered a Roman Military Camp Hidden for Nearly 1,850 Years

A Roman marching camp uncovered during construction in Šurany, Slovakia, provides long-suspected evidence of Roman military activity north of the Danube. Alongside the Roman camp, archaeologists also uncovered a medieval settlement dating to the seventh and eighth centuries, a Bronze Age settlement characterized by densely packed houses, and two important burial grounds. Military Camp Bears Distinctive Roman Defensive FeaturesAlthough the newly discovered camp does not follow the classic rectangular layout associated with many Roman marching camps, archaeologists identified several defining military characteristics. Evidence of a Roman military presence had already existed in the region through an inscription carved in 179 C.E. The inscription commemorates a Roman military victory and confirms Roman forces were active in the area during the Marcomannic Wars.