A discovery in York, England, has shed light on a previously unknown chapter of human migration. Researchers identified a Roman-era gladiator or soldier with partial Scandinavian ancestry, offering evidence of significant migrations long before the Viking Age. Using an innovative DNA analysis method called Twigstats, scientists have revealed intricate migration patterns that shaped early medieval Europe.
Understanding ancient human migration has long been hindered by the genetic similarities among historical populations. Traditional methods often struggled to discern finer-scale migrations within Europe. Enter Twigstats: a revolutionary tool designed to analyze genetic “family trees” by focusing on recent mutations. By examining these genetic connections, researchers can trace how people moved and intermingled over time.
In a study published in Nature, the method was applied to over 1,500 genomes from individuals who lived between 1 CE and 1000 CE. This dataset spans the Roman Empire, the early medieval migration period, and the Viking Age. Twigstats revealed three significant waves of migration across Europe during this time.
First Wave: Germanic Migrations Southward in the Early Iron Age
Historical records describe early conflicts between the Romans and Germanic tribes. Now, genetic evidence confirms that groups from Scandinavia and northern Germany migrated southward during the early Iron Age. These migrations brought Scandinavian ancestry to southern Germany, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, and southern Britain.
Remarkably, one individual from southern Europe was found to have entirely Scandinavian ancestry. This supports the idea that genetic mingling, alongside the spread of Germanic languages, profoundly influenced the populations of Roman Europe.
Among the most striking discoveries is that of a man buried in Roman York (2nd–4th centuries CE) with 25% Scandinavian ancestry. Researchers believe he may have been a gladiator or enslaved soldier, revealing the presence of Scandinavians in Britain centuries before the Viking invasions. This challenges the prevailing assumption that Scandinavian influence began only during the Anglo-Saxon or Viking periods.
Second Wave: Northward Migrations into Scandinavia
Between 300 and 800 CE, another wave of migration occurred—but this time, from Central Europe into Scandinavia. DNA from Viking-era remains in southern Scandinavia shows a mix of local and Central European ancestry, indicating a significant genetic influx just before the Viking Age.
Archaeological evidence supports this, with findings in Sweden suggesting that Central European migrants settled and grew up locally. This migration was not an isolated event but a lasting shift in Scandinavian ancestry. Researchers speculate that ongoing conflicts in the region may have driven these movements.
Third Wave: Viking Expansion Across Europe
The Viking Age (c. 800–1050 CE) is famous for its raids and settlements across Europe. Genetic evidence aligns with historical records, showing Scandinavian ancestry among Viking-era individuals in Britain, Ukraine, and Russia. Some Viking remains in British mass graves had direct genetic links to Scandinavia, likely reflecting their roles in raids or military expeditions.
Leo Speidel, lead author of the study, emphasizes that Twigstats provides an unprecedented ability to analyze subtle genetic shifts over time. This tool allows researchers to uncover hidden patterns of migration, offering new insights into the dynamic movements that shaped Europe’s history.
Peter Heather, a co-author and medieval historian, notes that historical texts often hinted at migration-driven transformations in Europe. However, the exact nature and scale of these movements remained unclear. The genetic revelations from Twigstats may finally resolve long-standing debates about Europe’s formative migrations.
By combining cutting-edge genetic tools with historical and archaeological evidence, this research not only illuminates early Scandinavian connections to Europe but also promises to uncover more hidden chapters of human history worldwide.
SOURCES
Speidel, L., Silva, M., Booth, T. et al. High-resolution genomic history of early medieval Europe. Nature 637, 118–126 (2025). doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-08275-2
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