Nidum facts for kids

Remains of the south gate entrance to the Roman fort at Nidum

Nidum (or NIDVM) was a Roman fort located near the town of Neath in Wales. It was built by Roman soldiers to help control the area.

Nidum: A Roman Fort in Wales

Nidum was an important Roman fort. It was built in Cwrt Herbert, close to modern-day Neath. This fort helped the Romans keep control of the land.

A Fort's History: Built, Abandoned, Rebuilt

The first fort at Nidum was built around 74 AD. It was made from earth banks and wooden buildings. It was quite large, about 3.3 hectares (8 acres). Soon after, it was made a bit smaller, to about 2.3 hectares (6 acres). Around 500 auxiliary troops, who were non-Roman soldiers helping the Roman army, might have lived there.

The fort was left empty around 125 AD. But then, around 140 AD, soldiers came back. They rebuilt the fort using stone this time. However, it was only used until about 170 AD. After that, it was empty for a long time, about 100 years. Its final period of use was from 275 AD to 320 AD.

Discovering the Past: Excavations at Nidum

A lot of the old fort site is now part of Dwr-y-Felin Comprehensive School. In 2011, a special dig found something amazing. They found gate-towers that stuck out beyond the fort's main walls. This was very unusual for Roman forts in Britain at that time. It suggests the Romans needed strong defenses against the local Silures people, who were often hostile.

The site was first found in 1949. Many digs happened over the years, like in 1950, 1958, 1962, and 1984–85. These digs often took place when new school buildings or other structures were being built.

What Was Found at Nidum?

During the excavations, many interesting things were discovered. Workers found pieces of roof and floor tiles. They also found parts of a large clay jar, called an amphora, from the 1st century. Many fragments of kitchen and table dishes were also uncovered. These pieces show the fort was used from its earliest days until the early 2nd century. A few pieces were even from the mid-2nd century.

Six old Roman coins were also found. These coins dated from the time of Emperor Augustus (23 BC - 14 AD) to Emperor Trajan (98 AD - 117 AD). Some of the artifacts from Nidum are now on display. You can see them at the Neath Museum. The site itself is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. This means it's an important historical place.