Stunning Discovery: A 2,000-Year-Old Roman Military Camp Found in the Swiss Alps
Researchers have utilized lidar technology to uncover a hidden 2,000-year-old Roman military camp in the Swiss Alps. The site is located at an elevation of 7,200 feet (2,220 meters) in the eastern Switzerland Alps, presenting a strategic vantage point over a known Roman-era battlefield, as reported by the Canton of Graubünden.
This ancient fortification, dating back to the first century B.C., was discovered in the fall of 2023 by a volunteer detectorist. Previously, only the battlefield located approximately 3,000 feet (900 meters) below was known. The heating methods used, such as laser scanning of the ground from an aircraft, have provided detailed topographical maps revealing the camp's defensive structure, which includes three ditches and a rampart wall.
The strategic positioning offered Roman soldiers extensive views of surrounding valleys, enhancing tactical advantage. Artifacts unearthed during further exploration, including weapons, boot nails, and lead sling bullets stamped with the mark of the Roman 3rd Legion, suggest direct involvement in battles at the lower battlefield.
Archaeological teams from the University of Basel, joined by volunteers, have researched the Crap Ses area in the Oberhalbstein Alps since 2021, focusing on the relationship between the battlefield and newly uncovered camp. Their efforts revealed the structure of the fort's wall-ditch system and picturesque valleys like Landwassertal, Albulatal, Domleschg, and Surses, along with Lenzerheide, an essential mountain passage.
The camp's discovery, resting undisturbed for millennia, sheds light on Roman military advancements through Switzerland. The movement of Roman forces from Bergell over the Septimer Pass to Tiefencastel and toward Chur is now better documented with precision. This "sensational discovery," as the Canton of Graubünden termed it, reinforces the significance of continued archaeological research into "Roman Switzerland," showcasing once again how ancient history can unveil new surprises.
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