While continuing an old excavation in the cemetery of a Roman Fort at Brougham, 20 miles south of the western end of Hadrian's Wall archaeologists found the cremated remains of two highly honored Cavalry officers of the Roman Legion.
By the remains each was given the highest honors at death which was between the date of 220 A.D. and 300 A.D. The Funeral pyres may have been a high as three tiers. The remains show that both had been burned on their pyres in their full armor with all fittings and scabbards. Both were generously provided with a joint of meat on a pottery dish and a pottery jug with an engraving good-luck motto but as well silver bowls and ivory objects. All this marks the officers as belonging to one of the highest ranking members of the community. The combination of the horses, military equipment and expensive pyre and grave goods naturally suggests Roman Cavalry officers. Detailed analysis and comparison of the remains of the personal effects of these officers shows that they were from Eastern Europe from the Danube frontier provinces of Noricum, Pannonia, and Ilyria (including the parts of modern day Austria, Hungary, and former Yugoslavia). Reviewing all evidence these officers were of a unit raised in the Danubeian lands and transferred to Rome's northwest frontier.
When the investigation turned to the age of the officers an unexpected fact also arouse from the analysis that required the testing to be repeatedly several times but the results were the same each time.
The analysis is that they were in their 20's or 30's and that they were WOMEN !
Reference: Archaeology magazine May/June edition 2005; article Amazons in the U.K.
Submitted by a fellow Centurion - Eastertide 2005
