Seven well-preserved skeletons discovered in Croatia have been identified as belonging to Roman soldiers from about 1,700 years ago, providing information about their lives.

Following the excavations carried out in 2011 in the Roman town of Mursa, located in present-day Croatia, researchers identified seven skeletons as Roman soldiers who lived 1,700 years ago. The skeletons were found in a well that had been transformed into a mass grave. All the skeletons belonged to adult men, taller than average, of which four were between 18 and 25 years old, and three were middle-aged, between 36 and 50 years old. Analyses showed that the soldiers had suffered trauma, including facial injuries and wounds caused by weapons.

Researchers used stable isotope analyses to discover the soldiers' diet, which included many grains and vegetables, but little meat. Additionally, DNA analysis showed that the skeletons were not local, indicating origins from Northern Europe or the Byzantine Empire. Mursa was an important commercial and military center, but it was affected by conflicts, including during the Crisis of the third century, and ceased to exist as an urban settlement after attacks in 441 AD.