Khirbet er-Rubei’a - ROMANUS

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Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Khirbet er-Rubei’a

Identification:

According to Cyril of Scythopolis, Romanus founded a monastery near the village of Thecoa (V. Euthy. 30). The site has been identified as the monastery of Romanus.

Monastery name:

ROMANUS

Monastery type:

Cenobium

Monastery category:

Isolated in the countryside

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

21,629.00

61,228.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

16,629.00

11,228.00

Geographical region:

Judean Desert fringes

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina I

Bishopric:

Jerusalem

Topographical location:

The site is located in an area of hills.

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

ca. 25 km (Jerusalem)

Distance from nearest settlement:

ca. 8 km (Thecoa)

Distance from Roman roads:

ca. 2 km west of the road leading from Thecoa to En Guedi.

Source of knowledge

HideLiterary sources

Text number	Summary
1	Mention of Romanus the archimandrite and leader of a great monastery located near Thekoa, ca. AD 451, from a collection of anti-Chalcedonian stories written 512-518.
2	Romanus’ five years exile in Antioch, AD 453-458, and his return and transfer to Eleutheropolis.
3	Romanus, persisting in the heretical creed formerly thought by Elpidus, establishes a coenobium close by the village of Thekoa.
4	Romanus, still persisting in his heresy, is rejected from his own monastery.
5	The New Laura is founded near Thekoa, on the remains of cells built by the dissident monks, AD 507.
6	Mention of Abba Romanus among the monasteries restored by Emperor Justinian, from a panegyric of AD 550s.

Archaeological remains

Surveyed site

Surveyors:

Name	Date
Conder and Kitchener	1871-1877
Kochavi	1967-1968
Hirschfeld	1988-89
Dagan

Bibliograpy:

Conder, C. R. and Kitchener, H. H., 1883	360
Kochavi, M. and Ovadiah, R., 1972	52
Hirschfeld, Y., 1988/89	95-104
Tsafrir, Y., Di Segni, L. and Green, J., 1994	216-17
Di Segni, L., 2005
Magen, Y. and Kagan, E. D., 2012	164-65

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

State of certainty:

Archaeologicaly definitive

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

The complex consists of two wings. Walls were preserved to a maximum height of 2.8 m. Numerous architectural elements and other artifacts were found in the vicinity.

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Figures

Kh. er- Rubei'a- general plan of the monastery (Magen and Kagan 2012 II: 164, no. 263)

General description

Enclosing walls:

The complex is square (32.2 x 32.2 m, encompassing an area of 1,037 m²), constructed of ashlars and dressed stones some reaching a length of 1.20 m. The encompassing wall is 1.20 m wide.

Gate/s:

The entrance (1.30 m wide) is on the eastern side of the complex and leads through the tower into the central courtyard.

Courtyards:

The central courtyard is odly shaped and is located just passed the tower at the entrance to the complex. Rooms are located on its western and northern sides.

Tower/s:

The tower (7 x 6.6 m) stands at the entrance to the complex. Its western door, which is entirely preserved, opens into the central courtyard. The eastern door serves as the main entrance to the monastery.

Churche/s:

Along the southern wall there is a large rectangular hall (14 x 7.2 m) with another room (5.3 x 4.2 m) attached on its northern side. Hirschfeld proposed that this room was a chapel or a refectory.

Dwellings:

The northern and western parts of the structure apparently served in a residential capacity. It consists of rooms and halls along the encompassing walls measuring 6 m in width. The internal walls are 0.7 m wide.

Refectory:

See above (Churches).

Water installations:

A cistern is located in the center of the courtyard.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Pottery	Dated 5th - 7th c.
Other	Tesserae
Other	Roof tiles

Detailed description

Dimensions:

Total area (sqm)	Size class
1,753	Medium

Structure

Materials applied (walls):

Limestone

Materials applied (roofing):

tiles

Components

Enclosing wall

Gate/s:

Tower/s

Courtyard/s

Monastery church:

Church type	Diakonikon	Link to church section	Church location
unknown			Ground floor

Water installations:

Cisterns

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Phase 2
Abandonment

General outline:

The square complex (32.2 x 32.2 m) is built of ashlars and dressed stones. The entrance is from the east, passed a tower that opens into the central courtyard. A cistern is found in the center of the courtyard. The courtyard has rooms on its western and northern sides. Along the southern wall there is a large rectangular hall (14 x 7.2 m) and another room (5.3 x 4.2 m) is attached to the hall on its northern side.

Dating material:

Dated generally to the fifth to seventh centuries CE.

Phase date

Century:

5th c.

Within century:

Second half

General outline:

A second wing (35.8 x 20 m) was added to the south. This wing consists of rooms and halls.

Phase date

Century:

6th-7th c.

Phase date

Century:

7th c?

Within century:

First half