A grave of a Roman soldier

 A grave appeared on a private land, during a plow in 1925. A skeleton has been found, but not a „new” corpse, but somebody from the Roman Ages! The remains were found in Egregy (part of the city Hévíz, which is famous for her mineral water), not far from Lake Balaton. This area was so popular among the Romans, a lot of villas and luxury houses were found in this area. So the Romans liked the lake, they called it Lacus Pelso, as you can read the Roman name on a silver plate, which is part of the Seuso-treasure.

the map of Egregy, part of the city Hévíz, at the location of lake Balaton

   On the shoulders of the skeleton two fibulas (the Roman cloth-pinning accessory) were found. On his waist there was a belt buckle: probably the leather belt already perished. In his grave there were fragments of a glass bottle and a bronze knife. The age when he might have lived was identyfied by a coin that was also in the grave. A little bronze coin from the reign of Constantinus II. (ruled 340-361 AC). But who was this man? The folklore quickly named him as a Roman soldier who was buried with military honor-medals and naturally with a golden treasure. But that’s just an imagination, we don't know it for sure who he was. Several other coins were found not far from the cemetery, all refers to the 4th century AC.

this is a great wine region of Hungary, so if you visit the Roman soldier, don't miss to taste the finest vines!

   There is a Roman cemetery in the surrounding of this grave, still unexplored. Maybe he was just a civil, not a soldier, maybe wealthier, maybe the whole settlement lived in a higher standard of living. In 1931 a Roman villa was found in the surrounding too. This villa was probably built in the early 1st century AC, and was out of use in the 4th century AC. Maybe our man lived, worked in this villa. The WWII destroyed so many things, archaeological foundings and treasures too. The destruction reached this area too. But the original grave made of brick remained, so the corpse was put back there too. Now you can visit the reconstructed brick-grave of the soldier (don't take away from him this honor), a nice place to visit!