The Fossa Corbulonis between the Rhine and Meuse estuaries in the Western Netherlands

A few classical sources mention the construction of a canal by the Roman general Corbulo between the estuaries of the rivers Rhine and Meuse in the Netherlands around 50 AD; the Fossa Corbulonis. The location of this feature has been subject to speculation for a long time, but in recent years, various archaeological investigations have established the presence of a canal just behind the beach barrier, roughly between the current towns of Leiden and Naaldwijk. Furthermore, dendrochronological and C14 dates support the identification of this canal as the canal dug under orders of general Corbulo. The various research campaigns have shown that the canal is only partially artificial. Certain parts of its course have been established by connecting existing waterways, thus negating the need for manual labour. Roughly in the middle of the trajectory, indirect evidence for the presence of a dam and a possible portage have been found, indicating an understanding of water management on the part of the Romans.