Archaeologists have been left stunned after a new study on the remains of an infant in a Roman military camp was confirmed as the first discovery of its kind.
A team of researchers from the University of Burgos and the University of Leon in Spain, spearheaded by Marta Fernandez-Viejo, examined the remains and uncovered valuable insights into Roman military life.
The remains were first discovered in 2006 when emergency excavations were being carried out at the sacristy of the convent of Siervas de Jesus and on Francisco Regueral Street in the Spanish city of Leon.
The discovery was made at the site of a fort used by Legio VI Victrix, a legion established by the Roman Empire's founder, Augustus, in 41 BC.
The remains were first discovered in 2006 when emergency excavations were being carried out at the sacristy of the convent of Siervas de Jesús and on Francisco Regueral Street
|FERNANDEZ VIEJO
The legion was stationed in Hispania Tarraconensis, one of three Roman provinces established in the Iberian Peninsula, in 29 BC - and was responsible for guarding key mountain passes in the Asturias region.
During the excavations, archaeologists discovered the remains buried in a Roman roof tile under a workshop floor.
Roman roof tiles were frequently used for infant burials - but the practice most commonly took place at a home or cemetery.
While infant graves in a Roman military setting are incredibly rare, confirmed cases were documented at Hadrian's Wall forts and its surrounding areas - however, these were all uncovered in external cemeteries outside the fort.
The legion was stationed in Hispania Tarraconensis, and was responsible for guarding key mountain passes in the Asturias region
|GETTY
The remains have been confirmed as the Iberian Peninsula's first child burial ever found in a military context.
According to analysis carried out by Ms Fernandez-Viejo's team, the length of the infant's femur indicates they were around 38-42 weeks old when they died.
No teeth belonging to the infant were found and no signs of physical trauma were observed, meaning it is unlikely the child was an infanticide victim.
However, researchers highlighted that causes of death such as smothering or drowning would not leave visible marks on the remains.
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Radiocarbon dating on the bones suggests the child was buried between 47 and 61 BC.
These dates match up to the time where Augustus implemented sweeping reforms to regulate the presence of women and children in Roman legions' forts.
Ms Fernandez-Viejo said: "The Augustan legislation relevant to military camps did not take the form of a single law, but rather a set of regulations and imperial practices.
"Under Augustus, Roman soldiers were officially prohibited from marrying during their term of service, thus forbidding the formation of legitimate families within the army.
Augustus implemented sweeping reforms to regulate the presence of women and children in Roman legions' forts
|GETTY
"As a result, the presence of wives and children in military camps was, in theory, strictly prohibited.
"Nevertheless, archaeological and documentary evidence from frontier provinces such as Britannia and Germania indicates that these laws were not strictly enforced.
"Artefacts and remains associated with women and children, such as footwear, personal items, and domestic objects, have been discovered within the boundaries of military forts and their vicinities."