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Trinovantum is the name in medieval British legend that was given toLondon, according toGeoffrey of Monmouth'sHistoria Regum Britanniae, when it was founded by the exiledTrojanBrutus, who called itTroia Nova ("New Troy"), which was gradually corrupted toTrinovantum. The legend says that it was later rebuilt by KingLud, who named itCaer Lud ("Lud's Fort") after himself and that the name became corrupted toKaer Llundain and finally London. The legend is part of theMatter of Britain.
The nameTrinovantum derives from theIron Age tribe of theTrinovantes, who lived inEssex,Suffolk and part ofGreater London and are mentioned byJulius Caesar in his account of his expeditions to Britain in 55 and 54 BC. In a later account of those expeditions byOrosius, they are referred to ascivitas Trinovantum, "the nation of the Trinovantes", withTrinovantum in this case being in thegenitiveplural. However, ascivitas can also mean "city" andLatinneuternouns often end in-um in thenominativesingular, this phrase was misinterpreted by Geoffrey or his sources as "the city Trinovantum".
InRoman times, the city was known by the nameLondinium, which appears to be cognate withLlundain andLondon.