Nijmegen, Valkhof

Q1127079

The Valkhof Museum in Nijmegen, the capital of the ancient Batavians, is one of the most important archaeological museums in the Netherlands. It has a splendid collection with finds from six Roman settlements:

the Kopse Hof (once the HQs of Drusus, later used as fort by a unit of mounted auxiliaries);
the Hunerberg (a legionary base, used by Drusus);
Batavodurum (a town destroyed during the Batavian Revolt in 69-70);
Ulpia Noviomagus (built after the revolt);
the Hunerberg (again in use as legionary base, by X Gemina, to control the Batavians);
the late-Roman castle at the Valkhof, almost at the site of former Batavodurum.

Many objects tell a little story. I select the silver medallion that once belonged to one Gnaeus Aquillius Proculus, centurio of the Eighth Legion Augusta, found at the Kopse Hof auxiliary fort. This man is known to have played a role during the Batavian Revolt. When the forts along the lower Rhine were attacked, he was able to bring the garrisons to Nijmegen, where they were – for the time being – safe.

This would have been interesting enough: it is not often that archaeologists find an object that belonged to someone we know from the written sources. However, the object proves something else: that shortly before the revolt, the Romans sent soldiers of the Eighth legion Augusta, which was at that moment stationed at Sishtov in Bulgaria, to Nijmegen. This strongly suggests that the Romans were aware that the Batavians were becoming restless, which proves that the governor, Hordeonius Flaccus, was more capable than the historian Tacitus wants us to believe. He presents us with a Roman commander who is incompetent, indolent, and decadent, but archaeology proves otherwise.

The museum, which offers several other collections and a splendid view on the Nijmegen bridge (of World War II fame), is closed on Mondays. You can find photos from the museum here and here.

This museum was visited in a/o 2008-2019.

78 pictures related to this museum

Faustina II	Nijmegen, Tomb of a girl of about ten years old	Nijmegen, Monument to Tiberius: sacrifice	Elst, Temple, Fragment of a wall painting
Nijmegen, Inscription mentioning three relatives in X Gemina	Elst, Temple, Model	Cavalry mask, found in the river Waal	Valentinian I
Coin of Vespasian, showing a personification of Judaea mourning the loss of her independence. Legend: JUDAEA CAPTA, "Judaea conquered".	Nijmegen, Batavian horsemen	Nijmegen, terra sigillata with an inscription "Carnuntum"	Coin commemorating Drusus' German victories, minted by his son Claudius
Copy of an inscription from Rome, mentioning Noviomagus	Cornelia Superia	Julia Soeamias	Nijmegen, Terra sigillata
Nijmegen, Bridge, pile-shoe	Nijmegen, Objects from the tomb of a fourth-century lady	Nijmegen-Hunerberg, Rim of an amphora, mentioning its Macedonian owner	Nijmegen, Oil lamp, Mercury
Cavalry mask, found in the river Waal	Berg en Dal, Pottery factory, Tile with shoe print	Nijmegen, Monument to Tiberius: Apollo	Nijmegen, Valkhof, Oil lamp with Victoria
Nijmegen, Kops Plateau, Aquillius Medal	Cavalry mask, found in the river Waal	Nijmegen, Monument to Tiberius: Ceres	Nijmegen, Dedication by Candidinius, signifer of XXX Ulpia Victrix
Theodosius I	Tiel, Runic inscription	Berg en Dal, Pottery factory, Dedication to Vesta	Lucilla
Lent, Frankish sword and spear	Beek, Milestone	Nijmegen, Noviomagus, Double temple, Fortuna	Nijmegen, Kops Plateau, Helmet
Nijmegen, Kops Plateau, Helmet	Nijmegen, Tomb of a girl of about ten years old	Aquilia Severa	The Herwen Mole Inscription
Nijmegen, Inscription of an aquilifer of X Gemina	Tiberius	Nijmegen, Oil lamp, erotic scene	Nijmegen, Agraphe with christogram
Roman coin, commemorating the annexation of Arabia Nabataea	Rome, Forum Romanum, Temple of Janus, Coin	Berg en dal, Silver pan	Nijmegen, Tambourine of a girl of about ten years old
Otacilia Severa	Nijmegen-Hunerberg, Early Helmet	Nijmegen, Inscription of Bisius of X Gemina	Nijmegen, Noviomagus, Double temple, Mercury
Nijmegen, terra sigillata with the Thracian name "Mucatra"	Nijmegen, Crystal dice	Nijmegen, Monument to Tiberius: Diana	Ulpia Severina
Nijmegen-Hunerberg, Officers' mansion, Wall painting of a deer and a peacock	Nijmegen, Amber portait of a girl	Cavalry mask, found in the river Waal	Nijmegen, Glass vase
Nijmegen, Late Roman pottery	Bronze object mentioning LEG HISP IX, from Ewijk	Nijmegen-Hunerberg, Civil settlement, Unfinished bronze statuette of Luna	Nijmegen, Dedication to the Mopatian Mothers by Liberius
Nijmegen-Hunerberg, Cavalry mask from the Beekmansdal	Nijmegen, Tombstone of Scanius of X Gemina	Nijmegen, Oil lamp with gladiators saluting the organizer of the games	Nijmegen, Crystal ring
Berg en Dal, Pottery factory, Tile	Herennia Etruscilla	Berg en dal, Silver pan, handle with portrait of Tyche or Cybele	Nijmegen, British mirror
Nijmegen, Amber carving of Amor	Elst, Temple, diploma	Nijmegen, Kops Plateau, Imported mackerel	Julia Maesa
Nijmegen, Ring of a shoemaker	Nijmegen, Oil lamp, Jupiter and his eagle