1,800-Year-Old Roman Legionary Base Discovered at Tel Megiddo

Architectural remains of the 1,800-year-old Roman VIth ‘Ferrata’ Iron Legion military base were uncovered in a recent excavation carried out by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) at the foot of Tel Megiddo, near the ancient Kfar Othnay village (Capercotnai in Greek).

The excavation was directed by Dr. Yotam Tepper and Barak Tzin and was funded by the Netivei Israel National Infrastructure Company, said the IAA, which called it “a unique opportunity to uncover part of the full-scale Roman legionary base.

The VIth Legion Roman legionary base is the only Roman military base of these dimensions that has been located and exposed in the Land of Israel. Tepper said that “the Roman Legion camp at Legio was the permanent military base for over 5,000 Roman soldiers for more than 180 years, from 117-120 BCE to about 300 CE.”

“While Roman military camps are known in Israel, they are temporary siege camps or small camps belonging to auxiliary divisions. None compares with the entire complex of the legionary base, as has been uncovered in the archaeological excavations at Legio, next to the Megiddo Junction,” Tepper noted.

Coins, parts of weapons, pottery sherds, and glass fragments were uncovered, but the most predominant finds were the roof tiles, which were discovered in extremely large quantities. (JPost / VFI News)

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