Metal detectorist finds 2,000-year-old dagger wielded by Roman soldier in battle with Rhaetians [View all]

An amateur archaeologist in Switzerland has discovered an ornate dagger wielded by a Roman soldier 2,000 years ago. That discovery, found using a metal detector, led a team of archaeologists to the site, who then uncovered hundreds of artifacts from a "lost" battlefield where Roman legionaries fought Rhaetian warriors as Imperial Rome sought to consolidate power in the area.

Archaeologists think one of those legionaries may have buried the newfound dagger intentionally after the battle as a token of thanks for a victory. Only four similar daggers — with distinctive features like its cross-shaped handle — have ever been found in former Roman territories. When the excavations were completed at the end of that month, the team had unearthed hundreds of archaeological artifacts scattered over more than 370,000 square feet (35,000 square meters). The finds include spearheads, lead slingshots, parts of shields, coins and hobnails from the heavy-soled sandals — called "caligae" in Latin — that legionaries wore.

The Rhaetians, or "Raeti," were a confederation of Alpine tribes who occupied much of the mountainous areas of what are now Switzerland, Italy, Austria and Germany. What's known of their native language indicates they were related to the Etruscans — a civilization that lived in what is now Italy before Rome was founded. But the Rhaetians eventually came to speak a Celtic language like the neighboring Gauls. The Rhaetians initially opposed Roman expansion into their mountainous homelands from the second century B.C., and records show conflicts between Roman armies and Rhaetians occurred between 50 B.C. and 30 B.C., said archaeologist Thomas Reitmaier, the director of the ADG (the canton's archaeological service, the Archäologischen Dienst Graubünden).

The Roman dagger is now held by the ADG, as required by Swiss law, where it is being preserved and scientifically evaluated; and Schmid is still involved in the battlefield project, although he recently qualified as a dentist and doesn't expect to become a full-time archaeologist. As of the end of September this year, he had spent more than 70 days on the site in the forest, working alongside the ADG and University of Basel archaeologists.

https://www.livescience.com/metal-detectorist-finds-dagger-ancient-roman-battle
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“'Rusty lump' turns out to be a 2,000-year-old dagger used by a Roman soldier”

Archaeologists in Germany were "lost for words" after the discovery of a 2,000-year-old silver dagger. The weapon was found in its sheath in the grave of a Roman soldier who once fought against the Germanic tribes.

The dagger was so corroded it took nine months of sandblasting and grinding before the sharp, 13-inch-long (35 centimeters) weapon was restored, at which point researchers were easily able to remove it from its richly decorated sheath .

An intern with the Westphalie department, 19-year-old Nico Calman, discovered the dagger and sheath, as well as the remains of the decorated leather belt, during an archaeological dig at Haltern am See (Haltern-at-the-Lake), a town in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, in April 2019.

https://www.bookofjoe.com/2021/01/2k-years-old-roman-dagger.html