Scythopolis / Beth Shean (Church of the Martyr monastery) - Monastery

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Monastery name, type, category

Site Name:

Scythopolis / Beth Shean (Church of the Martyr monastery)

Identification:

The church, located near the northern wall of the city on Tel Iztaba, is possibly the one mentioned by Cyril of Scythopolis as having been within the palace of the bishop, and named for the martyr Procopius (V. Sab). Procopius, beheaded in 303 CE had hailed from Scythopolis, a leading figure of the Christian community (Eus., mart. Pal. 1,1 [GCS 9/2, 907,15–21 Schwartz]). This tentative identification is based on a partial inscription with the word "martyr" but no name. The complex itself, apart from the church, consists of an additional chapel, a refectory and a kitchen, suggestive of a monastery. According to another proposal - see Church Card, the martyr was Basilius and the church was the new church of St. Basilius. The Monastery of the Martyr church and the Monastery of Basilius church are the same.

Monastery name:

Monastery

Monastery type:

Cenobium

Monastery category:

Urban

Source of sacredness:

Sacred Objects

Location

Coordinates, ITM system:

248,138.00

712,577.00

Coordinates, ICS system:

198,135.00

212,577.00

Geographical region:

Beth Shean Valley

Provincial affiliation:

Palaestina II

Bishopric:

Scythopolis

Topographical location:

The site is located on a ridge north of the Harod river.

Soils:

Basalt

Distance from nearest bishop-seat:

ca. 0.5 km (Scythopolis)

Distance from nearest settlement:

ca. 0.5 km (Scythopolis)

Distance from Roman roads:

Beth Shean-Scythopolis was a junction of roads. The monastery is on the road leading north towards Tiberias.

Source of knowledge

Literary sources

Epigraphy

Archaeological remains

Excavated site

Excavators:

Name	Date
Bar Nathan and Mazor	1992

Bibliograpy:

Ovadiah, A., 1970	40
Bar Nathan, R. and Mazor, G., 1992	44-46
Mazor, G. and Bar-Nathan, R., 1994	135-37
Mazor, G. and Bar-Nathan, R., 1998	7-35
Mazor, G., 2008	1634

Abbreviation for Journals and Series

State of certainty:

Archaeologicaly definitive

General description

State of preservation/which parts were uncovered:

In the excavation, a large basilical church, a chapel, refectory and kitchen were revealed.

Illustrative material:

Illustrative_material

Photos

church of the Martyr-view from west (Mazor and Bar Nathan 1994: 135)

Church of Martyr- pillars of narthex (Mazor and Bar Nathan 1994: 135).

Church of Martyr pillar and cross bearing capital (Mazor and Bar Nathan 1994:136).

Figures

Scythopolis, Procopius (?) Martyr- plan of the site (Mazor and Bar-Natan 1998: 30)

General description

Churche/s:

The church is a tri-apsidal basilica. Two rows of arches divide the prayer hall into a nave and two aisles. The three apses are arranged as a trefoil, the two lateral apses forming a transept. The central apse contained a synthronon and a bema paved in opus sectile below which, remains of a reliquary were found. Each of the apses had its own chancel screen, a complete panel of which was found in the northern apse. The whole floor surface of the church (excepting the bema) was paved with mosaics containing geometric, vegetal and animal designs. A narthex was unearthed west of the church with pillars bearing capitals carved with crosses. A fragmentary inscription was found in the floor of the narthex mentioning a martyr whose name did not survive. A baptistery was found east of the church. A chapel was located northeast of the basilica. This chapel had a single, large apse.

Dwellings:

A complex of rooms surrounded the church. It may be assumed that some served as dwellings.

Refectory:

The refectory is located north of the chapel, between it and the city wall. A central row of columns supported the roof and a staircase in the eastern part led to a second story. Entrance to the refectory was from the chapel.

Burials:

A decorated marble sarcophagus was found in the northern apse. According to the excavators, this may have originated in the old church of Andreas, located outside the city wall, before the church was destroyed.

Kitchen:

A kitchen was located at the western end of the refectory. Remains of cooking installations, storage vessels and work surfaces were found.

Small finds

Small finds:

Category	Description
Inscription - see under epigraphy
Pottery	Storage vessels
Other	Reliquary
Other	Roof tiles

Comments, discussion and summary:

Tri-apsidal churches are rare in the Holy Land. Recently (2017), a tri-apsidal church was unearthed near Habonim on the coast (Ad 2017).

Detailed description

Structure

Materials applied (walls):

Basalt

Materials applied (roofing):

tiles

timber

Components

Courtyard/s

Monastery church:

Church type	Diakonikon	Link to church section	Church location
basilical		Scythopolis / Beth Shean (Tel Iẓtaba) - Church of the Martyr	Ground floor

Baptismal font

Refectory

Kitchen

Inscribed crosses

Architectural evolution

Phase 1
Abandonment

General outline:

A trefoil basilica, a chapel, refectory, kitchen and other rooms.

Dating material:

Built after Andreas church was destroyed due to the Samaritan revolt. The style of the mosaics befit a mid 6th c date.

Phase date

Century:

6th c.

Within century:

Mid

Iconoclastic evidence

Iconoclastic evidence:

General outline:

The monastery was probably abandoned sometime in the late sixth or early seventh century with the deterioration of the general urban fabric of Scythopolis (Tsafrir and Foerster 1997), or due to the historical events of the early seventh century. The final destruction of the monastery was probably caused by an earthquake as is evidenced by the pillars of the narthex having fallen in the same direction.

Phase date

Century:

6th-7th c.

Post Arab conquest history:

Abandoned