Marid Castle

Marid Castle is a historic military fortress located in the city of Dumat al-Jandal in the Al-Jawf region of Saudi Arabia, about 50 km from Sakaka [1]. The castle stands on a hill rising about 620 metres above sea level and overlooks the city of Dumat al-Jandal in the Al-Jawf region from the western side [1]. Marid Fortress is generally dated to the 1st century AD on the basis of Roman–Nabataean pottery recovered during excavations [1]. The earliest written mention of the castle dates to the third century AD, when Queen Zenobia of Palmyra is reported to have besieged Dūmat al-Jandal and Tayma without being able to capture the fortress [1]. The castle was originally rectangular in plan but is now oval in shape [1]. The castle has two storeys: the lower built in stone and the upper in mudbrick [1]. Inside the castle are two wells, and the floors contain rooms used by the garrison for guard duty, shooting positions and observation [1].