In Spain, archaeologists uncovered remains of a Roman soldier inside the ruins of the ancient Korticho Lobato fortress near Almeljo in the southwest. The discovery occurred in a building long abandoned and dates to well before the first Romans reached this part of the Iberian Peninsula. The findings were reported through the Opening Reports portal with attribution to Live Science researchers [Live Science via Opening Reports].
Scholars date the Korticho Lobato site to the Copper Age, roughly between 3200 and 2200 BC. The fortifications include walls and ditches carved into the landscape, features that indicate a society focused on defense and control of people and access. The walls and ditches show large damage consistent with looting after a violent attack. The site appears to have been abandoned around 2450 BC. The Romans did not arrive in this region until 218 BC, leaving a long interval that shaped a complex pre-Roman history for the area.
Analysis indicates the skeleton belonged to a man aged 25 to 35, with a standard dagger from the Roman army lying beside him. The dagger reflects equipment typical of Roman soldiers, suggesting connections that reached beyond the immediate settlement.
Archaeologists have proposed several scenarios to explain the grave. One theory suggests the man was a deserter seeking shelter among the ruins. Another points to an assault, illness, or an accidental death. A third possibility envisions the remains as part of a ritual practice. Each explanation sits alongside others that cannot yet be ruled out because no additional Roman traces have been found at Korticho Lobato.
However, there is little definitive proof supporting these ideas, as no further Roman traces have been found at Korticho Lobato, and researchers remain cautious about a single interpretation.
The fortress itself features a circular plan about 77 meters in diameter, surrounded by four trenches and two walls. The outer wall is ten meters thick. The layout, while ancient, reveals deliberate design choices to control access and reduce the risk of surprise attacks.
Experts note that the narrow doorways permit only one person to pass at a time, making it harder to mount a rapid defense and more challenging for attackers to overwhelm the site.
In a separate line of inquiry, researchers have previously reported on metalworking traditions in ancient Poland. These studies help provide context for how archaeologists interpret artifacts from Korticho Lobato and other European sites of similar ages.