Vienna archaeologists reveal mass grave of fighters in Roman Empire-era battle
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'Within the context of Roman acts of war, there are no comparable finds of fighters,' said Michaela Binder, who led the archaeological dig. 'There are huge battlefields in Germany where weapons were found. But finding the dead, that is unique for the entire Roman history.'
Soldiers in the Roman Empire were typically cremated until the third century.
The pit where the bodies were deposited suggests a hasty or disorganized dumping of corpses. Every skeleton examined showed signs of injury — to the head, torso, and pelvis in particular.
'They have various different battle wounds, which rules out execution. It is truly a battlefield,' said Kristina Adler-Wölfl, head of Vienna city archaeological department. 'There are wounds from swords, lances; wounds from blunt trauma.'
The victims were all male. Most were aged 20 to 30 years old and generally showed signs of good dental health.
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Carbon-14 analysis helped date the bones to between 80 and 130 AD. That was cross-checked against known history of relics found in the grave —armor, helmet cheek protectors, the nails used in distinctive Roman military shoes known as caligae.
The most indicative clue came from a rusty dagger of a type in use specifically between the middle of the first century and the start of the second.
The research continues: Only one victim has been confirmed as a Roman warrior. Archaeologists hope DNA and strontium isotope analysis will help further identify the fighters, and whose side they were on.
'The most likely theory at the moment is that this is connected to the Danube campaigns of Emperor Domitian — that's 86 to 96 AD,' Adler-Wölfl said.
City archaeologists said the discovery also reveals the early signs of the founding of a settlement that would become the Austrian capital of today.
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For additional information about Zai Lab, please visit or follow us at Zai Lab Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements relating to our future expectations, plans, and prospects, including, without limitation, statements regarding product candidates in our pipeline including ZL-1503 and related preclinical studies; the potential benefits of ZL-1503; and the potential treatment of atopic dermatitis and other diseases involving the IL-13 and IL-31 pathways. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in this press release are forward-looking statements, and can be identified by words such as "aim," "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "goal," "intend," "may," "plan," "possible," "potential," "will," "would," and other similar expressions. Such statements constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact or guarantees or assurances of future performance. Forward-looking statements are based on our expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. We may not actually achieve the plans, carry out the intentions, or meet the expectations or projections disclosed in our forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including but not limited to (1) our ability to successfully commercialize and generate revenue from our approved products, (2) our ability to obtain funding for our operations and business initiatives, (3) the results of our clinical and pre-clinical development of our product candidates, (4) the content and timing of decisions made by the relevant regulatory authorities regarding regulatory approvals of our product candidates, (5) risks related to doing business in China, and (6) other factors identified in our most recent annual and quarterly reports and in other reports we have filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). We anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause our expectations and assumptions to change, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by law. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Our SEC filings can be found on our website at and the SEC's website at View source version on Contacts Investor Relations: Christine Chiou / Lina Zhang+1 (917) 886-6929 / +86 136 8257 / Media: Shaun Maccoun / Xiaoyu Chen+1 (857) 270-8854 / +86 185 0015 / Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
