Ancient Roman Soldier’s Mysterious Bronze Wrist Purse Discovered in Czech Republic Sparks Fascinating Secrets
Imagine lugging around nearly a full year’s salary strapped to your wrist — and still being ready to sword fight like a pro. That’s exactly what Roman soldiers did with their wrist purses, those surprisingly practical little money boxes designed to keep about 50 silver denarii close at hand while leaving their dominant arm free to swing a gladius or wave a battle standard. Archaeologists recently unearthed an 1,800-year-old bronze wrist purse fragment in the Czech Republic, right where the 10th Roman Legion once camped during the brutal Marcomannic Wars. It’s not your average handbag story — this tiny treasure opens a window into the strategic thinking (and wallet-wrangling) of ancient soldiers on the frontier, where every coin counted and every right arm needed to stay combat-ready. So, what does this ancient accessory say about the soldier who wore it — a cautious coin-counting junior officer, or maybe the unit’s makeshift accountant? Either way, it’s a fascinating glimpse at how fashion met function on the bloody edges of empire. LEARN MORE
Capable of holding approximately 50 silver denarii, almost a full year’s pay, this purse would have been worn on the left arm in order to keep the right free for combat.
Václav Šálek, ČTKThe 1,800-year-old fragment of a Roman soldier’s wrist purse found at Hradisko Hill in the Czech Republic.
Archaeologists in the Czech Republic’s South Moravia region made a rare discovery earlier this year: an 1,800-year-old bronze wrist purse once worn by a Roman soldier, believed to be the oldest artifact of its kind ever found in the country.
The purse fragment was found in January 2025 on Hradisko Hill, where a fortified camp had been occupied by the 10th Roman Legion during the Marcomannic Wars in the late second century C.E. Although just a small fragment of the purse was found, experts instantly recognized it for what it was.
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