In the Netherlands, archaeologists have discovered the first human remains dating back to the year zero.

Archaeologists have discovered a unique Roman grave in the Netherlands, believed to date back approximately 2000 years. They even managed to identify the name of the soldier buried in the grave.

It is thought that the Roman citizen found in the Heerlen region in November used the nickname "Flaccus" and was a soldier. In the grave, bowls, plates, and a bronze leather scraper believed to belong to the individual were also found. The inscription "Flac" carved on one of the bowls allowed researchers to name the individual using similar terms from that period.

The grave, discovered by archaeologists from ADC ArcheoProjecten in the excavations at Raadhuisplein square, is estimated to date back to the years AD 0-20. This indicates that Flaccus was a Roman soldier stationed in Coriovallum (present-day Heerlen), which was a military settlement for Italians at that time.

Coriovallum was established at the intersection of two main roads known as Via Belgica and Via Traiana. The Romans considered this area strategically important as it connected regions that are now parts of Germany and France.

Jordy Clemens, a member of the Heerlen Culture and Heritage Council, stated, "This discovery not only provides information about our past but also shows how significant Heerlen was for the Netherlands during the Roman period. Until now, no Roman grave containing a name from this period had ever been found."

The artifacts extracted from the grave will be exhibited in the new Heerlen Roman Museum after being cleaned. The oldest remains previously found in the area were public baths dating back to AD 40-70.