A massive horse cemetery believed to belong to Roman cavalry units has been uncovered in Stuttgart, dating back to ancient Roman times.
In the summer of 2024, no one expected that a routine drilling survey in Stuttgart, a city in Germany’s Baden-Württemberg state, conducted ahead of a standard construction project, would lead to a discovery significant enough to challenge established narratives of Roman history.
Initially, the site—previously marked as a “moderate-risk” area on Germany’s archaeological soil maps—yielded just a few scattered horse bones. But systematic excavations in the days that followed revealed a massive horse cemetery dating back nearly 1,800 years.
The excavations were carried out under the supervision of the State Office for Monument Preservation (Landesamt für Denkmalpflege), part of the Baden-Württemberg Regional Council. The official announcement was made on April 16, 2025. According to archaeologists, the site—located just southeast of Stuttgart—was a large necropolis complex used for military purposes during the Roman period. Over 100 horse skeletons, believed to have belonged to Roman cavalry units known as alae, have been recorded, making this one of the densest such findings ever documented in Europe.
According to the excavation director, archaeologist Sarah Roth, most of the horses appear to have died of natural causes, old age, or traumatic injuries. Their burial showed no unusual patterns, and no weapons, armor, or cavalry gear were found in the graves. This suggests that the site was not a battlefield but rather a dedicated military animal cemetery within the internal structure of a Roman garrison.
Historical records suggest that the Roman cavalry unit Ala I Flavia Gemina may have been stationed in this region of the empire. Units of this type typically included around 500 horsemen, requiring a fleet of at least 700 horses for daily drills, patrols, and campaigns.
Buried Beneath the Same Soil, but with Different Meanings
One of the most remarkable finds at the site was a horse grave that stood out from the rest due to the presence of symbolic objects. Two ceramic vessels and an oil lamp, placed near the horse’s legs, are items commonly found in Roman human burials. Based on this, Sarah Roth stated that they believe the animal likely shared a strong emotional bond with its owner.
Another striking discovery was a human skeleton found outside the main necropolis. In contrast to the previously mentioned horse grave, this burial included no markers, symbolic objects, or architectural features. For this reason, archaeologists suspect the individual may not have been a Roman citizen, but possibly a low-ranking servant connected to the garrison or even a civilian migrant.
In Rome, a Horse Was More Than a Mount
In the Roman army, horses were not merely tools of transport or instruments of war. Especially for cavalry units, they were true companions. Each cavalryman trained with his horse, fought with it, and in some cases, even died alongside it. The value placed on some horses was nearly equal to that of a soldier. Rome’s advanced military system paid close attention to the well-being of its horses. There were veterinarians on duty in the castles, yes you heard right, these men they called “veterinarii” were not only interested in illnesses but also in the performance of the horses. They monitored the horses’ performance, tracked how much weight they could carry, how many kilometers they could run in a day, and ensured proper nutrition.
