• Nijmegen is a city on the river Waal in the Province of Gelderland in the Netherlands.
• It was the Oppidum Batavorum and became the Roman town of Noviomagus which was located in the Roman Province of Germania Inferior.

History

• In the 1st century CE, the Romans built a Fort to guard the Waal and Rhine valleys during the 1st century BCE. The Oppidum Batavorum grew up beside the fort.
• In 69 CE the Oppidum Batavorum was destroyed during the Batavian Revolt.
• In 71 CE the Legio X Gemina was stationed there.
• In 98 CE the town became a Municipium.
• 103 CE the Legio X Gemina was moved to Vienna.
• 104 CE Trajan renamed the town Ulpia Noviomagus Batavorum.

River Waal, Nijmegen

The Smetius Collection

• This was a Collection of 10,000 Roman Coins and 4,500 Artefacts collected by Johannes Smetius and his son Johannes Smetius Junior. They published their Collection in two Catalogues, one in 1644 and another 1678.
• The whole Collection is now dispersed and lost.

Museums

• Valkhof Museum
  • Located at Kelfkensbos 59, Nijmegen, the museum holds Artefacts from the Roman period.
• Victory Monument to Tiberius in the museum.
  • This is the remnant of a column which holds reliefs depicting Roman Gods and a Roman in a Toga performing a sacrifice to Tiberius.

Valkhof Museum, Nijmegen

• Neuss is a city located at the confluence of the rivers Rhine and Erft, on the west bank of the Rhine opposite Dusseldorf, in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany.
• It is the location of the Clemens Sels Museum holding the Finds of Roman Novaesium and the Neuss Roman Watchtower at Reckenburg.

History

• It was founded by Drusus the Elder in 16 BCE as a Roman Fort called Novaesium which developed into a Legionary Fortress located in the Roman Province of Germania Inferior.
• Although the Fort has been excavated, no Remains are visible today.
• The Fort is the location of the only known Valetudinarium or Roman Military Hospital.
• In 69 CE the fort was destroyed during the Batavian Revolt but rebuilt afterwards and continued in use until 104 CE, after which, the Legions left the fort and it became a civilian town.
• Roman Legions posted to Novaesium:
  • Legio XX Valeria Victrix (9-43 CE)
  • Legio XVI Gallica (43-70 CE)
• In 275 CE the town was destroyed by the Franks.
• In the 350’s the town was destroyed again by the Alemanni.

Roman Sites

• Neuss Roman Watchtower
  • This is a modern reconstruction of a Roman Watchtower built near the buried remains of the original fort at Reckenburg.

Museums

• Clemens Sels Museum Neuss
  • Located at Am Obertor, Neuss.
  • The museum holds a Collection of Finds from the Roman Fortress of Novaesium including a Legionary Helmet, a seated statue of Jupiter, a stone sundial, a millstone, inscribed tombstones, glassware, Samian Ware and Tiles.
  • Other Finds from the Fortress are in the Rheinisches Landesmuseum Bonn.

Roman Roads

• A Roman Road
  • Neuss-Trier
• A Military Road
  • The road ran along the west bank of the Rhine and connected the forts along the Limes Germanicus.

Clemens Sels Museum Neuss