8 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

An amateur archeologist has discovered a Roman war site

Thanks to the insistence of an amateur archaeologist, a Roman battlefield in Switzerland has been identified.

Shortly before the birth of Jesus, there must have been a battle between Tiefencastel and the Cunter between Roman and Rhaetian troops. This is at least indicated by the many objects that researchers found in the area near Crap Ses Gorge in mid-September.

The research effort was triggered by a find two years ago. Lucas Schmid, an amateur archaeologist and volunteer of the Graubünden Archaeological Service, found a well-preserved Roman dagger on Julierstrasse. As a result, the University of Basel started a five-year research project with the federal government and the canton.

“It looks like the locals have holed up and were shot at by the Romans with slingshot and catapults,” Peter Schwarz, Professor of Provincial Roman Archeology at the University of Basel, told Swiss public broadcaster SRFExternal link.

Archaeologist Thomas Reitmaier says 7,000 out of a total of 35,000 square meters have been studied so far.

A slingshot with an inscription indicating the twelfth Roman legion's participation in battle. Photo: SRf
A slingshot with an inscription indicating the twelfth Roman legion’s participation in battle. Photo: SRF

“Among the objects found were hundreds of shoe nails, slingshots, coins, and fragments of a shield that could be assigned to a local,” said Thomas Reitmaier, who said they had found several hundred Roman artifacts in total.

The finds are assumed to have been left on the battlefield after a clash between Romans and a local tribe at around 15BC.

It is unclear how many people died in the war. Those responsible say no graves have been found so far.

The Roman dagger that Lucas Schmid found 2 years ago. Photo: SRF
The Roman dagger that Lucas Schmid found 2 years ago. Photo: SRF

To learn more, the researchers will continue to explore the area over the next year. Two weeks are scheduled for research for objects that give clues to what happened in the Bündner Valley nearly 2,000 years ago.

Although artifacts from the Roman period were found in the area about 20 years ago, experts were of the opinion that there was nothing to be found in the area. Lucas Schmid took a different view, went on a quest, and succeeded. So successful that research is now being conducted on a large scale.

Hobby archaeologist Lucas Schmid is delighted to have uncovered other objects two years ago: Of course, I’m glad that what I’m doing is making a difference” he said.

Cover Photo: Archäologischer Dienst Graubünden

Related Articles

An ancient “fridge” have uncovered at the Roman legionary fortress of Novae, Bulgaria

30 September 2022

30 September 2022

Polish archaeologists, during excavations at the Roman legionnaires’ camp in Novae, discovered a container that could be described as an...

1,500-Year-Old Christian Ivory Reliquary Box Discovered in Austria

27 June 2024

27 June 2024

Archaeologists have discovered an exceptional Christian ancient ivory reliquary box in Austria that is thought to be around 1,500 years...

Over 4 feet long sword found in a medieval grave in Sweden

29 December 2023

29 December 2023

An unusual and exciting discovery was made during archaeological research at Lilla Torg in the port city of Halmstad on...

İnteresting Relief on the Roman Millstone

20 February 2021

20 February 2021

During the Cambridgeshire A14 road improvement work, workers found an interesting millstone. A large penis was engraved in the Roman-era...

Drought accelerated Hittite Empire’s collapse

9 February 2023

9 February 2023

Researchers have offered new insight into the abrupt collapse of the  Hittite Empire in the Late Bronze Age, with an...

Scientists discover 4 new Nazca Geoglyphs using AI deep learning

4 June 2023

4 June 2023

Scientists from Japan used AI deep learning to discover new geoglyphs in the Arid Peruvian coastal plain, in the northern...

“Human evolution” Migration out of Africa was affected by climate constraints.

25 August 2021

25 August 2021

The story of modern man’s migration from Africa still remains unclear in many aspects. Why did people migrate? Is it...

Environmentalists react to the rehabilitation works in the Assos ancient port

2 October 2021

2 October 2021

Among the continuing landscaping and restoration works at the historic city of Assos in the northern province of Canakkale, a...

Archaeologists discover 1200-year-old Wari temple complex in Peru

24 February 2023

24 February 2023

Archaeologists from the University of Illinois Chicago have uncovered a temple complex constructed by the Wari Empire 1,200 years ago...

Hagia Sophia’s Mysterious Underground Tunnels, Vaults, Tombs to Open for Visitors

7 January 2025

7 January 2025

The Turkish Ministry of Culture is carrying out a cleaning program aimed at opening to the public the underground spaces...

Scientists find the oldest evidence of humans in Israel -a 1.5 million-year-old Human vertebra

3 February 2022

3 February 2022

An international group of Israeli and American researchers, an ancient human vertebra has been uncovered in Israel’s Jordan Valley that...

Failed Mongol fleet may actually land in Japan after 800 years

18 July 2023

18 July 2023

A  recent shipwreck was found off the coast of Japan this year and identified as part of a Mongol fleet...

A Mysterious Human Face Carved on Stone Dated to Bronze Age Discovered in Kazakhstan

21 July 2024

21 July 2024

Kazakhstan’s rich archaeological landscape continues to reveal fascinating details about ancient civilizations. Recent research in the Akmola, and Pavlodar revealed...

In the 1,900-year-old underground temple of Mithras religion in Zerzevan Castle, an area where participants of secret rituals stayed was unearthed

23 July 2024

23 July 2024

Excavations at the  Zerzevan Castle in Diyarbakır province in the southeastern part of Türkiye have uncovered an area where participants...

The human remains of 29 people buried as offerings in a pre-Inca temple were found at the Huaca Santa Rosa de Pucalá excavation site

23 October 2021

23 October 2021

The human remains of 29 people buried as sacrificial offerings have been discovered in a pre-Inca temple in northern Peru....