Julius Caesar Inscribed Sling Bullet Found in Spain

In the rural area of Montilla in Andalusia, Spain, an important discovery has been made—a lead sling bullet bearing the name of Julius Caesar and the Ibero-Roman city Ipsca.

This finding, highlighted in a study released in the scientific journal Zephyrus, is the first clear inscription of Caesar’s name on such a projectile in the Iberian Peninsula. The lead bullet, resembling an acorn with pointed ends, is 4.5 centimeters long, 2 centimeters wide, and 1.7 centimeters high, with a weight of 71.1 grams.

The engraved writing on the projectile includes the short form “CAES” for Gaius Julius Caesar and the place name “IPSCA,” which was the name of Baena during Roman times.

This new find, the first in Roman Hispania, has triggered thorough investigations led by Javier Moralejo and Jesúss Robles from the Autonomous University of Madrid. Antonio Moreno from the Archaeological Museum of Cabra and José Antonio Moreno from the Historical Museum of Baena are also involved in the study, as reported by Archaeology Magazine.

Ipsca’s alliance with Caesar’s faction during the Roman Civil War

The discovery is of great historical significance because the lead sling bullet not only contains Caesar’s name but also includes the place name “Ipsca.” This confirms the city’s support for Caesar’s side during the Roman civil war. Ipsca, initially an Iberian oppidum and later a Roman municipality, was situated approximately twelve miles away from Montilla.

Research suggests the bullet might date back to the Second Hispanian campaign of Caesar’s Civil War, possibly connected to the debated Battle of Munda.

🗞️ Lead sling bullet inscribed with “Julius Caesar” name found in Spain

A lead sling bullet inscribed with the name of Julius Caesar and the Ibero-Roman city Ipsca has been discovered in the countryside of Montilla, Andalusia, southern Spain.

It is the first time in the Iberian… pic.twitter.com/WQeT7QF8gk

— The Boring Mates (@theboringmates) January 5, 2024

In this battle, Julius Caesar confronted the sons of Pompey, namely Gnaeus and Sextus Pompeius. The battle’s precise location has been a topic of discussion, and the Montilla area has gained prominence as a potential site.

The inscription on the lead sling bullet not only reinforces this possibility but also offers essential information not present in ancient texts, such as the Bellum Hispaniense, according to Archaeology Magazine.

Lead sling bullets date back to the 5th century BCE in Greece

Lead sling bullets with inscriptions, referred to as “glandes inscriptae,” have a historical background going as far back as the fifth century BCE in Greece.

Moreover, this tradition persisted into the early Roman imperial era. The projectiles commonly contained inscriptions, including details such as the maker’s name, military commander, legion, or deployment location, as reported by Archaeology Magazine.

The new find challenges existing beliefs about lead sling bullets, which were traditionally linked to specific wars such as the Sertorian War or Caesar’s clash with Pompey.

Discovered during agricultural activities in 2019, the Montilla projectile doesn’t have inscriptions commonly seen in similar bullets found at the site of the Roman city of Ulia Fidentia, situated eight miles north of the discovery site.