Gelduba

• a castle in Gallia Belgica, on the Rhine, now Gelb or Gellep, Plin. 19, 5, 28, § 90; Tac. H. 4, 26; 32; 35 sq.

GE´LDUBAis described by Pliny (Plin. Nat. 19.5) as a castellum Rheno impositum.It is mentioned by Tacitus several times (Hist. 4.26, 32, 36, &c.), from whom we may collect that it was near Novesium. The Antonine Itin. places it on the left bank of the Rhine, on the road from Cologneto Leiden, between Novesium ( Neuss) and Calo [CALO]. The distances and the modern name, Gellepor Gelb, determine the position of Gelduba.

The modern Gelb, below Colonia Agrippina (Cologne), a fortified place of the Ubii, on the Rhine, in Lower Germany (Hist. iv. 26, etc.).

An auxiliary castellum of the lower Germanic limes. Pliny (HN 19.90) mentions Gelduba as a castellum Rheno impositum in an agriculturally rich area. The legate Vocula constructed a camp here during the uprising of the Batavi. It was occupied a short time and surrendered under pressure from Civilis (Tac. Hist. 4.26, 32, 35, 36, 58). After A.D. 70 an auxiliary castellum was built (It. Ant. 255.3) of which so far the principia have been excavated. There was a vicus SE of the auxiliary castellum. There are traces of ditches, possibly of a camp, and areas surrounded by strong fences where Roman weapons have been found. From Flavian times until the 3d c. A.D. Gelduba seems to have been the garrison of an ala; in Late Roman times, perhaps of limitanei. The graves date from Neronic to Merovingian times.

Most of the finds are at the Niederrheinisches Landschaftsmuseum in Krefeld-Linn; some at the Rheinisches Landesmuseum in Bonn.

R. Pining, Das römisch-fränkische Gräberjeld von Krefeld-Gellep (1966) 2 vols.; K.-H. Knörzer, “Über die Gelleper Rüben,” Niederrheinisches Jahrbuch 10 (1967) 48-51; G. Alföldy, Die Hilfstruppen der römischen Provinz Germania inferior (= Epigraphische Studien 6) (1968) 152ff; W. Piepers & D. Haupt, “Gelduba,” Rheinische Ausgrabungen 3 (1968) 213-315; I. Paar & C. Rüger, “Kastell Gelduba,” Rheinische Ausgrabungen 20 (1970) 30.