Military

A Roman tomb plate linked to a centurion of Legio I Italica has surfaced during rescue excavations near the frontier fortress of Novae, offering a rare, named glimpse into military life on the Lower Danube. Archaeologists were called in after a tree uprooted on private land exposed ancient burials, leading to the discovery of five grave structures in what appears to be part of a 2nd–3rd century necropolis. The standout element is a partially preserved monument for centurion Gaius Valerius Verecundus, reused as building material in a later grave, an evocative example of how the living repurposed the stones of the dead. Rescue Dig Reveals Reused Military Epitaphs According to archaeologist Marin Marinov, the team documented two limestone cist graves