The basilica I
Basilica Ι was unearthed in the centre of the early
Christian city, on the ruins of a Late Roman bathhouse. It is a three nave basilica with an apse to the
east, and a narthex, exonarthex and atrium to the west.
The floors of the side aisles and atrium were decorated with colourful
mosaics, while that in the nave and narthex was covered with marble slabs.
Outside the main body of the church,
archaeological excavations brought to light more religious buildings added to
the south and north of the narthex, exonarthex and atrium.
To the north of the basilica is a mid-6th century vaulted chapel
with a mosaic floor, probably the Diaconicon, leading to another
rectangular chamber to the west, probably the mitatorium.
The church is thought to have been built in the early 6th century, with further
interventions and additions in later years. At a later phase, when it was long abandoned
and falling in, a room was built in the middle of the north aisle to
house a family that settled in the ruins.
Glossary (9)
Paleo-Christian (early Christian) era:
in Byzantine history, the period that typically starts in 330 AD, when Constantine the Great transferred the capital of the Roman Empire from Rome to his newly-founded city of Constantinople, and ends with the death of Justinian in 565.
basilica:
type of large church, divided internally into three or more naves. The central nave was usually covered by a raised roof with windows that illuminated the space.
apse or conch:
Semicircular
structure
at the east end
of a basilica. Internally covered by a semidome,
while externally
with a tiered
roof; can be
horseshoe shaped,
rectangular or
polygonal.
narthex:
oblong reception area
extending
along
the western side
of a basilica. Originally the east portico
of the atrium,
it was later
incorporated into the
church, and served
as a waiting area for catechumens, who were not allowed to
attend the Divine
Liturgy.
exonarthex or outer narthex:
external
gallery
in the western
part of a church,
between the narthex
and the atrium.
atrium:
quadrangular forecourt of basilicas, surrounded by porticos. Porticos had functional purposes: they served as a waiting place before entering the church for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy and provided shelter for the congregation. Generally, the atrium isolated the church from the surrounding space. It contained fountains for the symbolic cleansing of the hands and feet and for performing the service of Sanctification.
mosaic:
patterns or
images composed of small, colored tesserae. Mosaic
decoration can
be applied
to all the surfaces
of a building:
floor, walls or ceiling.
chapel:
small
sized church, either
independent, belonging
to a religious foundation, or part of
a larger
church.
In Byzantium chapels were often
used for burials.
diaconicon or diakonicon:
Chamber with a
niche,
usually
opening
off the
south
side
of the
church,
where offerings from the faithful, sacred vessels and
vestments
were kept.
In the
late
6th
century it
was moved to
the eastern
part
of the south
aisle,
next to the Sanctuary. Another similar room, called the
prothesis, was constructed on the east
side
of
the
north
nave.
Sanctuary
architecture as still seen today was established by the addition of these
compartments.
Information Texts (0)
Bibliography (1)
1. Ζήκος Ν., Αμφίπολις. Παλαιοχριστιανική και βυζαντινή Αμφίπολις, Athens, 1989
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