Rare Roman soldier’s wrist purse discovered in South Moravia

Archaeologists in South Moravia have uncovered a rare Roman artefact: a bronze fragment of a soldier’s wrist purse. Over 1,800 years old, it is most likely the oldest purse found on the territory of today’s Czechia.

The rare discovery was made in January of this year on Hradisko Hill in South Moravia, at the site of a fortified camp once occupied by the 10th Roman Legion during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. Though only about 30 percent of the original purse survived, experts quickly recognized it as a type of forearm purse used by Roman soldiers.

Balázs Komoróczy|Photo: Czech Television

“It is more like a small money box,” explains Balázs Komoróczy from the Czech Academy of Sciences. “It was worn by sliding it onto the arm or forearm. The tension around the arm kept it closed and secure.”

Objects like this have been found in former Roman territories, especially in military settings, from Britain to the Danube. However, this is the first time such a purse has been found in what was then enemy territory.

No coins were found inside it, but silver Roman money has been uncovered in large numbers nearby, which helped to date the object, says archaeologist Tomáš Antoš.

A fragment of a Roman wrist purse dating back about 1845 years, found in the fortress Hradisko u Mušova. At the top is a replica of a wrist purse and at the bottom are found coins.|Photo: Václav Šálek, ČTK

“Most of the coins found at the site and in the surrounding area date back to the reign of Marcus Aurelius. They typically feature either the emperor himself or his wife, Faustina.”

Experts estimate the purse could have held around 50 silver denarii, a significant amount at the time, but not quite a full year’s pay for an ordinary soldier. That suggests it may have belonged to a junior officer or someone responsible for unit expenses while on the move.

It is possible the purse held both personal money and what Mr. Komoróczy calls “service cash” or coins used to cover logistical needs during military operations. Based on its design, it would have been worn on the left arm, keeping the right hand free for combat.

The 10th Legion was stationed on Hradisko Hill between 172 and 180 AD. Marcus Aurelius hoped to turn the region into a new province, Marcomannia, stretching from the Danube to northern Moravia. However, the plan failed due to ongoing battles with the Marcomanni. After the emperor’s death, his son Commodus, best known today from the film Gladiator, ordered the Roman army to leave the region.

Mušov Visitor Centre in Pasohlávky|Photo: Archaeological Institute of the Academy of Sciences in Brno

The bronze fragment is now on display at the Mušov Visitor Centre in Pasohlávky, as part of the exhibition Gateway to the Roman Empire. Visitors can see the original piece, a full reconstruction of the purse, and several coins found at the site. The objects offer a rare glimpse into the daily life, as well as finances, of Roman soldiers living on the edge of the empire.