A Chinese research team first found a remote village near the Gobi Desert called Liqian with villager who has Caucasian-like physical traits, favorite game like bull-fighting and a traditional burials (facing westward), not shared by neighboring villages.
Then in 2003, 99 tombs of male tall skeletons facing westward were found near the Liqian village, dating back to the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.–220 A.D.). According to archaeologist, all male tombs were usually army soldiers. In fact, Liqian, 2,000 years ago was a military fortress. And the size of the skeletons are not Han Chinese.
A genetic testing in 2005 revealed that 56% of the DNA of some Liqian residents was Caucasian in origin, but the testing did not determine whether they were descended from Romans, Tocharians or Iranian peoples.
Chinese historian found the records about Liqian village: 驪靬，古縣名，西漢置。西域驪靬人內遷居此。 靬，即大秦國也。
驪靬 Liqian, 古縣名 Ancient village name, 西漢置 Western Han Dynasty 西域驪靬人內遷居此 Western Liqian migrants. 靬 Qian 即大秦國也 aka Great Qing (Roman Empire)
The history record reminded researchers of the story floated in the 1950s by an Oxford history professor – Homer Dubs – who proposed the following chain of events that could have brought a band of Roman soldiers to Han Dynasty China.
Battle of Carrhae – In 53 BCE a Roman army under Marcus Licinius Crassus fought and lost a war against Parthian Empire near the town of Carrhae. 6,000 Romans were captured by Parthian and sent to their eastern frontier, but was never found agian.
Battle of Zhizhi – In 36BC, Han army under Chen Tang assaulted a border town known today as “Taraz,” located in Kazakhstan near the border of Kyrgyzstan. Chinese historian noted that: 土城外有重木城 palisades of heavy tree trunks，步兵百餘人夾門魚鱗陣 Hundred infantry in “fish scale” formation 漢軍大勝 Han victory，生虜百四十五人Captured 145 降虜千餘人 Surrendered 1,000+.
The “fish scale” formation is almost certainly the well-known Testudo formation.
The formation was a surprise for the Han army, Chinese may very well have stationed those professional practice and outstanding discipline Romans as frontier guards in a garrison called Liqian.
A great many modern historians absolutely dismiss the story of the legionaries in China as more of a fairy-tale than truth.
Buy hey, let’s go over it again….
6,000 Romans went missing in 53BC. 17 years later, Chinese fought an army with soldiers using roman formation. The 99 tombs near Liqian were army soldiers dating back to the Han dynasty with same burial as Liqian villagers whose got 56% Caucasian DNA living in a village with Chinese translation of Roman Empire.
I think a more careful research should be done before drawing any conclusion. More info-exchanges will certainly be helpful in unraveling the mystery…..
Source: quora.com
