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Roman military camp found high in Swiss Alps
The remains of a previously unknown Roman military camp have been discovered at Colm la Runga in Switzerland’s Oberhalbstein Alps at an altitude of 7,218 feet above sea level. It dates to the last two decades of the 1st century B.C.
When the camp was built, Roman legions were fighting to conquer the Swiss Alps, the last remaining region of modern-day Switzerland that was not yet under Roman control. Augustus saw control of the Alps as essential to the security of northern Italy, and Tiberius finished the job.
A battle between Rome and the local Suanetes tribe was known to have been fought 3,000 feet below the Colm la Runga site near the Crap Ses Gorge in 15 B.C.. Lead sling bullets stamped with the marks of the 3rd, 10th and 12th Legions have been found there, as have spearheads, brooches, caligae hobnails and an exceptional silver and brass dagger.
Archaeologists have been excavating the battlefield since 2021, supported by volunteer metal detectorists. Cutting edge LiDAR laser scans revealed differences in height in the topography of the Colm la Runga terrain that indicated there were man-made ditches and ramparts up there. Initial test pits dug confirmed the data.
Following geophysical surveys and non-destructive documentation in July 2024, students from the University of Basel and volunteer prospectors will be researching the wall-ditch system and the structures inside the camp from August 11 to 31, 2024. The finds so far include weapons and equipment belonging to Roman soldiers, including slingshots and shoe nails. The slingshots found bear the stamp of the 3rd Legion, which was also involved in the battle at Crap Ses. It can therefore be assumed that there is a close connection between the ancient battlefield and the newly discovered military camp.
The location of the camp on the Colm la Runga was certainly chosen for strategic reasons. From here there is a wide panorama of the most important surrounding valleys: the Landwassertal, the Albulatal, the Domleschg and the Surses. In addition, Lenzerheide, which was an important passage at the time, can be ideally viewed.
The sensational discovery of a Roman military camp in Graubünden once again shows that archaeological research into “Roman Switzerland” continues to hold great surprises. The discovery on the Colm la Runga is also internationally outstanding because the advance of the Roman forces 2000 years ago can now be precisely traced over several dozen kilometers: from Bergell over the Septimer Pass to the Tiefencastel area – and from there on towards Chur and the Alpine Rhine Valley.
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