The Roman Military Community as a Melting Pot: Biomolecular Evidence from the Lower Rhine Limes

Abstract

Military communities in the Roman borderlands are increasingly understood as socially mixed and dynamic rather than homogeneous military enclaves. This study adds a biomolecular perspective through combined strontium, oxygen and carbon isotope analysis, and ancient DNA of 33 inhumed and 44 cremated individuals buried at Praetorium Agrippinae in modern-day Valkenburg (South Holland, the Netherlands). The site contains one of the largest, well excavated Roman-period cemeteries in the Lower Rhine Limes Borderlands, dominated by cremations with a smaller yet substantial inhumation component. Sr-O-C isotope data indicate a large variety of geographical regions of origin among both inhumed and cremated individuals, demonstrating sustained mobility into the settlement throughout its 300-year existence. Ancient DNA analysis establishes heterogeneous ancestry profiles and an absence of close kinship ties, further supporting a diverse population with varied geographic origins. Overall, the biomolecular evidence positions the Roman inhabitants of Praetorium Agrippinae as a melting-pot borderland community shaped by movement, demographic diversity, and social differentiation.