Archaeologists in Switzerland have discovered an astonishing Roman shipwreck in Lake Neuchâtel. The site is an unexpected treasure of first-century maritime trade. According to Swiss State Media, the discovery of the site occurred in 2024 when drone photography revealed the location, and excavation took place in March 2025 by the Cantonal Office of Archaeology (OARC).
The site yielded over 600 artefacts, most notably hundreds of intact ceramic vessels and amphorae for transporting Spanish olive oil. Another unique aspect of this shipwreck site includes the presence of military equipment, such as two complete gladii (short swords), which indicates it was a civilian merchant ship with a military escort provided by an army legion. Therefore, this shipwreck site helps fill in gaps in knowledge of the combined land-and-sea routes forming a connection between the Mediterranean Sea and the Roman frontiers located north of the Alps. These findings illuminate the complex logistical networks used to supply remote garrisons, proving that high-altitude Alpine passages were deeply integrated into the Roman Empire's globalized economy.
