Chapter 1. The Man in the Well of Velsen revisited : introductionMark Driessen and Carol van Driel-MurrayChapter 2. Well 2: structure, contents and human remainsMark Driessen and Carol van Driel-Murray with contributions by Frans Diederik, Johannes Huijbregts, Michael H. Field and Bert Verleijsdonk, Maarten Sepers and Hayley MickleburgBox 1. The excavationFrans DiederikBox 2. The botanical remainsMichael H. Field and Bert VerleijsdonkBox 3. The insect remainsJohannes HuijbregtsBox 4. Burnt DaubMark Driessen and Maarten SepersBox 5. Decomposition and bone movement in a seated burialHayley MickleburghChapter 3. Artefacts associated with the corpseCarol van Driel-MurrayChapter 4. The decorated dagger sheath: a question of datingMichael Johannes KleinChapter 5. The analysis of the man in the well at VelsenSarah InskipChapter 6. Joined in Death. The two males from Well S190 in Velsen IRachel SchatsChapter 7. Stranger in a Strange Land? Isotopic Determination of the Birthplace of a Renowned Roman Soldier from Velsen, The NetherlandsAndrea L. Waters-Rist and Jessica L.A. Palmer, with a contribution by Lisette KootkerChapter 8. 3D analysis of the pathological punctures of the man in well 2Maarten Sepers and Mark DriessenChapter 9. A Soldier’s FaceMaja d’HollosyChapter 10. Exhibiting the soldier from Velsen in the National Museum of Antiquities, LeidenJasper de BruinChapter 11. An ancient cold case in six scenariosMark Driessen and Carol van Driel-MurrayIn 1977, a remarkable discovery was made at the early Roman fort of Velsen (Netherlands): on the bottom of a well lay the skeleton of a man with traumatic injuries. Who was he, how did he die, and what circumstances led to his deposition? This book revisits this 2,000-year-old ‘cold case’, combining archaeological, historical, and scientific evidence to reconstruct the final moments of the victim and the events surrounding his death.Renewed research, prompted by preparations for a museum exhibition, brought together a wide range of analytical approaches. Isotope analysis revealed that the man, as well as two others found in a nearby well, were not local to the region. Detailed study of skeletal trauma, supported by 3D imaging and experimental reconstructions, sheds new light on the nature of the injuries and the weapon used, fundamentally altering earlier interpretations. Additional finds from the well, including a military dagger, belt, and decorated sheath, provide further clues to the man’s identity and status.Set against the historical backdrop of the Frisian rebellion of AD 28, as described by Tacitus, this multi-authored volume presents the results of interdisciplinary research, including pathology, environmental analysis, and site interpretation. Rather than offering a single definitive answer, the book invites readers to evaluate six plausible scenarios, highlighting the tensions between historical sources and archaeological evidence in reconstructing past violence.