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Unveiling the complexity of post-Roman polity formation in Pannonia using ancient DNA
Date
2026
Author(s)
Tian, Yijie
Koncz, István
Faragó, Norbert
Knipper, Corina
Friedrich, Ronny
Vyas, Deven
Samu, Levente
Spekker, Olga
Szeniczey, Tamás
Hajdu, Tamás
Mende, Balázs Gusztáv
Tomka, Péter
Pap, Ildikó Katalin
Czigány, Dávid
Radzeviciute, Rita
Traverso, Luca
Gnecchi Ruscone, Guido Alberto
Francalacci, Paolo
Schöne, Prof. Dr. Bernd R.
Tóth, Gábor
Szécsényi-Nagy, Anna
Le Roux, Petrus
Alt, Kurt W.
Hofmanová, Zuzana
Pohl, Walter
Krause, Johannes
Vida, Tivadar
Geary, Patrick
Veeramah, Krishna
DOI
doi.org/10.1126/science.aec2634
Abstract
The transformation of the Roman world [fourth to ninth centuries common era (CE)], culminating in the Western Roman Empire’s fall, marked a fundamental transition in European history. Key questions persist regarding the regionally specific nature of this transformation. We generated a paleogenomic dataset to reconstruct post-Roman organizations in the Little Hungarian Plain at microregional resolution. Genetic and archaeological analyses of two Roman (n = 68) and five post-Roman (n = 246) sites reveal a rise in Northern European ancestry, reflecting large-scale population movements into this region. Moreover, despite post-Roman sites sharing similar genetic profiles, material culture, and burial practices, they show distinct social structures, especially regarding the role played by biological relatedness. These findings highlight local hierarchies and reveal the making of a post-Roman polity.
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Editor’s summary
The dissolution of the western Roman Empire resulted in substantial population and political shifts across Europe. To better understand the role of migration in this period, Tian et al. sequenced genomes from 314 individuals from seven sites in the Little Hungarian Plain, a region at the border between the eastern and western halves of the empire through which the river Danube and major trade routes flowed. Genetic data and isotopes indicate an influx of northern European populations into the region over the 3rd to 6th centuries CE, but cultural signifiers such as grave goods remained consistent. Grave kinship and nutrition indicate that social structure changed independently across these settlements, suggesting idiosyncratic shifts in response to demographic change rather than complete replacement. —Corinne Simonti
The dissolution of the western Roman Empire resulted in substantial population and political shifts across Europe. To better understand the role of migration in this period, Tian et al. sequenced genomes from 314 individuals from seven sites in the Little Hungarian Plain, a region at the border between the eastern and western halves of the empire through which the river Danube and major trade routes flowed. Genetic data and isotopes indicate an influx of northern European populations into the region over the 3rd to 6th centuries CE, but cultural signifiers such as grave goods remained consistent. Grave kinship and nutrition indicate that social structure changed independently across these settlements, suggesting idiosyncratic shifts in response to demographic change rather than complete replacement. —Corinne Simonti
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Tian_Koncz_etal_Unveiling_the_Complexity_2026.pdf
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Main Article
Description
Yijie Tian et al., Unveiling the complexity of post-Roman polity formation in Pannonia using ancient DNA. Science 392, eaec2634 (2026). DOI:10.1126/science.aec2634
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60.54 MB
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