Colonia Aelia Mursa (modern-day Osijek) was one of the most important centers of the Roman province Pannonia Inferior. The recent excavations revealed various architectural and mortuary features dated between the 1st and 4th centuries CE. The discovery of mass burial OS-V-GF SU1596/2008 provided an excellent opportunity to reconstruct demographic characteristics and general health of individuals interred in this feature. To do so, we used the assessment of MNI as well as macroscopic and radiographic observation of pathological lesions considered to be major indicators of general health in ancient populations.
The assemblage consists of the remains of at least 43 individuals (16 subadults and 27 adults) of both sexes and all age groups. The most frequent pathologies include dento-alveolar lesions, osteophytosis on the vertebrae and major joints, periosteal changes, Schmorl’s nodes, and subadult stress indicators. Intracranial infection, metabolic disorders, ante-mortem injuries, and possible cases of dwarfism and microcephaly were also recorded.
The demographic structure and absence of peri-mortem injuries separates OS-V-GF SU1596/2008 from other Roman period mass burials from Osijek. These were characterized as final resting places of soldiers killed in a battle, while this particular context seems to represent the burial of the victims of an epidemic or some natural disaster rather than a large-scale violent confrontation. Despite limitations like commingling and fragmentation of the remains, this catastrophic assemblage associated with civilian urban population enables an unparalleled insight into the everyday life in Roman period Pannonia.