Matilo (Leiden-Roomburg)
(number 5) (©**)
Matilo was built at the beginning of the canal of Corbulo, which still connects Voorburg, the ancient capital of the Cananefates, with the Rhine. The fort, initially made of wood, was possibly founded at the time of the digging of the canal, which started in 47. The water course has been identified, and indeed, the remains of a Roman ship have come to light in 1912. However, remains of this first building phase of the settlement are scarce.
Like many other military settlements in the Lower Rhine area, Matilo was destroyed during the Batavian revolt in 70, and reconstructed (again from wood). A third construction phase can be dated to the first quarter of the second century. This time, bricks were used to rebuilt the settlement.
The site has been known since the early sixteenth century. In 1502, heavy walls, several inscriptions, statuettes of bronze (two lions and a representation of the goddess Minerva - presented six years later to the German emperor Maximilian of Austria), ceramics, Roman coins, bricks and roof tiles were discovered at the site of a monastery named Roomburg. Perhaps the walls were in fact medieval, but the remainder was undoubtedly Roman.
There have been several minor archaeological campaigns at the site. In 1927, the discovery of the ditch was reported, but modern archaeologists entertain some doubts. On the other hand, a terracotta figurine suggested again that the site was Roman. Forty-three years later, in 1970, a georadar campaign proved the existence of a small fort of some 82 x 100 meters and headquarters measuring 32 x 32 meters. These remains must belong to a building phase in the second century, but have not been excavated (Matilo is a protected monument).
Blocks of tufa, roof tiles, bricks, coins and potsherds have been found on several occasions. One inscription, with the titulary of an emperor, was discovered (now at the castle of Duivenvoorde at Voorschoten). It mentioned that Septimius Severus restored a magazine that had collapsed, and it can be dated to 196-198.
Other texts show that at least three auxiliary units occupied the site: the cohors I Lucensium Hispanorum, originally from Hispania, the cohors XV voluntarium civium Romanorum pia fidelis, and finally the numerus exploratorum Batavorum (scouts).
In 1994, a boring campaign established that in the neighborhood of the fort were a cemetery and a village, which must have looked like a city to the people living in this area, the Cananefates, who were not accustomed to urban live. Concentrations of phosphate indicated the extent of human presence at the site, and it seems reasonable that the earlier building phases of Matilo were larger than the 82 x 100 meters of the second-century fort. The presence of a wall was established. The fragment itself was small, but in 1999, a second fragment was excacated.
Three years before, an extremely fine bronze mask was discovered that was once used to protect a Roman cavalry man. It was immediately called "Gordon", because of its similarity to the face of a well-known Dutch singer. The mask can be dated to the years between the reconstruction of Matilo after the Batavian revolt (70) and the emperor Hadrian's visit to the area in 121. It is now displayed at the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden in Leiden.
The visit of Hadrian coincided with construction work along the Dutch section of the limes. This may have happened at Matilo as well. The road along the limes was identified in 2006.
In the third century, the sea was more active and the area of the Lower Rhine became a wetland. Although it is possible that the fort was once more rebuilt and fortified during the first quarter of the third century (like many other forts in Germania Inferior), Matilo was evacuated. After 243, there was a last, temporary occupation of the site. Today, nothing can be seen from Matilo anymore, but the names of two roads and a tunnel remind one of the former Roman fort on this location.
The street names, Matiloweg and Castellumweg, of course mean Matilo Road and Castellum Road. However, in Dutch, they can also be read as "Matilo is gone" and "the fort is gone". We are probably overestimating the Leiden authorities when we assume that the joke was intended.
Note
Since about 1575, the ancient name Lugdunum is used to describe Leiden. This is incorrect, although at first sight, the two names look similar. However, the Medieval name Leithon is derived from a little river called Leede, which simply means "watercourse".Literature
- E. Lems, Op zoek naar Matilo: sporen van de Romeinen in Leiden (1995)
- C.R. Brandeburgh and W.A.M. Hessing, Matilo - Rodenburg - Roomburg. De Roomburgpolder: van Romeins castellum tot moderne woonwijk (2005)