Come sweet death - The cemeteries of Carnuntum

Today, Halloween and All Saints‘ Day are caught between lively customs and silent remembrance, with Halloween as an exuberant celebration with roots in ancient Celtic and Christian traditions ushering in the eve of All Saints’ Day, a day dedicated to the memory of the deceased in many cultures. The practice of paying respect and homage to the dead was also evident in Roman burial ceremonies, which were highly ritualised and conveyed an idea of life after death. The cemeteries of Carnuntum and their significance in Roman funerary customs offer an insight into the cultural significance of the death ritual. Carnuntum had several cemeteries, which were laid out along the arterial roads and testify to the Roman population's deep respect for their dead and the cultivation of a rich mortuary ritual.

In the first two centuries a. AD, cremation burial (crematio) dominated in Carnuntum. The body was burnt on a funeral pyre (ustrina) and then buried in an urn or without a vessel, often together with grave goods such as lamps, coins or food for the journey to the afterlife. Even if cremation of the corpse prevailed at times, uncremated burial was also always used. A ‘trend reversal’ from cremation to inhumation began in the second half of the 2nd century AD: Why this change in the favoured type of burial occurred has not yet been fully clarified; religious influences, such as Christianity, or economic reasons may have contributed to it.

The largest burial grounds in Carnuntum were located south of the present St John's Chapel and in the area of the current car park of the Roman town. They were often surrounded by walls (so-called grave gardens) or hedges, which indicates strong family ties between the buried. These necropolises also clearly show the Roman approach to death: graves were not to be disturbed, which was symbolised by gravestones and markers such as wooden stelae. Archaeological finds also prove that there were gangs of grave robbers in ancient times who targeted the valuable grave goods.

© Landessammlungen NÖ, Archäologischer Park Carnuntum (Foto: N.Gail)

“Rufus Lucilius, son of Marcus, from Augusta Bagiennorum (Bene in Piedmont), registered in the tribus Camilia, soldier of the 15th legion Apollinaris, 21 years, 4 years of service, is buried here. Marcus Lucilius erected the tomb for his son.”

Of particular interest are the funerary inscriptions and funerary steles, which play an important role in documenting Roman burial rituals. They offer insights into the biographies of the deceased, their origins, their social status and their profession. The orientation of the gravestones towards the street served as a means of communication. Elaborately designed portraits and inscriptions not only passed on the names and merits of the deceased, but also made it possible to ensure that their memory would last beyond their death. Over 200 grave inscriptions of soldiers from Carnuntum are known today, which provide detailed information about the origin, military rank and years of service of the deceased. The frequently abbreviated formula ‘D(is) M(anibus)’ - dedicated to the gods of the dead - adorns many gravestones and points to the firmly established religious practice of honouring the deceased in the realm of the dead as part of the community of the dii manes.

The Roman cemeteries of Carnuntum thus offer a rich fund of archaeological and epigraphic evidence that not only provides information about burial rituals and the treatment of death in Roman society, but also reveals the social and religious changes up to late antiquity.

© Landessammlungen NÖ, Archäologischer Park Carnuntum (Foto: N.Gail)

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