Keizerstad dismisses competing claims of being oldest

NIJMEGEN – The imperial city (keizerstad) of Nijmegen, which received its city charter from Roman emperor Marcus Ulpius Trajanus in the year 100 A.D., felt compelled once again to reassert its title as the oldest Dutch city. The discovery of a hoard of Roman coins from 19 A.D. had the Limburg city of Venlo proudly claiming its long history by pointing to the fact that the Romans had a settlement there before reaching Nijmegen, which lies further north. Of course the Romans were earlier in Venlo, Nijmegen admitted, but then pointed to having received a religious artifact from the Roman emperor in 17 A.D., revalidating its ancient status in the Netherlands. Another city on the River Meuse, Limburg capital Maastricht, has also attempted to lay claim to this coveted title of the most historic place in the country.