Archaeologists found a 5,000-year-old fortress in Spain: the secret of the Ancient Roman era stunned researchers

In southern Spain, researchers have discovered a 5,000-year-old fortress that had never been seen before. But the biggest surprise was not its ancient walls, but the body of a Roman soldier buried inside, more than two millennia after the site was abandoned. This was reported by Futura, according to UNN.

Details

High on a windswept hill near Almendralejo, a double mystery lay waiting for centuries. During routine excavations ahead of a solar power plant project in 2021, archaeologists uncovered the remains of a late Neolithic fortress, whose origins date back to the dawn of European civilization.

Across the Iberian Peninsula, prehistoric fortifications such as Motilla del Azuer in Ciudad Real and La Bastida in Murcia have captivated experts since the 1970s. However, none compare to the scale or sophistication of this site in Extremadura. Even more striking was the discovery of a Roman-era burial within its walls - a find that raised as many questions as it answered

According to the publication, the architecture of the monument demonstrates an unexpected level of precision for its age. Built around 3000 BC during the Copper Age - a transitional period between the Neolithic and Bronze Ages - it features an impressive geometric layout.

Each corner of the fortress projects into small rounded bastions, providing defenders with tactical positions to repel attacks, a design centuries ahead of its time. Additionally, the structure is seventy-seven meters wide. Inside, two smaller enclosures guard a central courtyard, each separated by defensive trenches.

Then, at the heart of the ruins, a mystery emerged: the body of a man found within the abandoned fortress. What makes this so strange is the timing - the burial occurred approximately 2,500 years after the site was abandoned

The individual, aged between 25 and 35, was found with a short dagger, which was once standard armament for the Roman legions that conquered Spain in 218 BC.

Was he a loyal soldier, a deserter, or simply a traveler who met his end in this lonely outpost? For now, the cause of death remains unclear. There are no signs of foul play, and researchers believe he may have died of natural causes or illness. Romans often used ancient monuments as burial sites, so it is possible that the ruins served as a temporary refuge or grave for passing troops

However, forensic investigations will reveal the full story of this mysterious man, and how a Roman warrior ended up in a prehistoric fortification built almost three millennia before his time.

Recall

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