In meuh centuries BC, the Romans were not known to deal with those who opposed them. A new archaeological study, published in the Journal of Roman Archaeology, provides other evidence. Scientists have discovered a human skull from a 2,000-year-old Spanish fort, believed to have been displayed on the city walls by Imperial soldiers.
Let’s go back a little. In meuh century BC, Rome was involved in several wars against the Cantabrians, fierce Celtic warriors who lived in what is now northern Spain. The aim of these wars, called Cantabrian (29 to 19 BC) and led by Octavian (known as Augustus), was to control the Iberian Peninsula. There was one particularly fierce battle: the siege of La Loma (“Hill”), a Celtic fortified city located in the present-day province of Palencia, in 25 BC.
Deterrence and severed heads
Precisely in the ruins, archaeologists have carried out excavations. Specifically, they discovered that after their victory, the Romans destroyed the fortress walls. Even better, they found a contemporary skull from the battle, buried among the rubble of the wall, which speaks volumes about the Roman army’s intimidation techniques.
A DNA study of the skull revealed that it belonged to a man around 45 years old, possibly from the area. No trace of his skeleton was found, indicating that his head had previously been severed. That’s not all: the study established that it had been exposed to the elements for a certain amount of time, before being broken up and buried beneath the wall when it was destroyed.
For archaeologists, the discovery leaves little doubt: the man died while defending the fortress, before the Romans placed his severed head on top of the wall during their occupation of the site. Brutal and punitive treatment, aimed at intimidating his enemies. Roman legions sometimes even exposed entire corpses, when they were not the hands – and therefore the heads – of their defeated enemies.
Some mysteries still persist. There are no special signs that would allow us to know whether the victim’s head, for example, was pierced by a spear. Therefore, scientists are looking for traces and other remains of this punishment at the site, to understand the extent of the punishment.
