PANEAS; Caesarea Philippi; Banוyas; Banias - In civic center
Church Name, type, function
Location
Source of knowledge
Archaeological remains
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
Tzaferis and Israeli | 1988-94 |
General description
Description
A 1.35 section of the northern wall of the basilica was preserved near its eastern end.
About 10m wide. Total width of the basilica - ca. 21m. Estimated total length of the church - 35-40m. No stylobates were encountered. Six white stone pedestals of hard limestone and granite columns, that certainly belonging to the church, were found incorporated into nearby later buildings. They seem to be spolia of an earlier, Roman building, decorated architectural members of which were incorporated in the walls.
A section of the northern aisle, 5.5m wide, was preserved, mosaic paved, in front of the northern pastophorium. A solid wall with a wide opening separated the pastophorium from the aisles. Its lower part might had also served as a soid base for a chancel screen.
The apse, inscribed, ca. 7m in diameter, is narrower than the 10m wide nave. Built of large, well cut ashlars, different in its masonry than the lateral walls, and the eastern wall of the pastophorium, that were built of smaller stones. The apse might had originally belonged to to an earlier pagan Roman structure. The apse pavement seems to have been of 0.2 x 0.2m opus sectile tiles, negatives depresions of which are recognized in its floor.
Only the northern pastophorium, 4.7x5.2m, mosaic paved, was preserved. It had five entrances. Two on the east, leading outside, two on the north, leading to a room attached to it on this side, and a fifth, open to the northern aisle. The two northern entrances were separated from each other just by a pier, enabling easy passage between the two room. The northern room, mosaic paved as well, was labelled 'room of the statue', on the assumption that it held the statue of Christ who cured the woman who suffered from hemorrhage. The multiplicity of entrances suggest that both rooms eased circulation pilgrims that could enter from the east through one route, worship the statue, and make their way out again through the other route. According to Philostorgius (Ecclesiastical History, Wilson 2008, pp. 205-6), the statue was placed in the part of the church which was allotted to the deacons, namely - diakonikon, attracting many people to adorned it.
Small finds
Detailed description
Structure
Pastophoria
Attached structures
Architectural Evolution
| General outline | Dating material | Phase no. | Century |
|---|---|---|---|
A monoapsidal basilica with two pastophoria and an attached northern room. All mosaic paved, beside the apse, of opus sectile floor. | Pottery and coins found under the mosaic pavement of the norther pastophorium suggest a fourth century date of construction. | Phase 1 | 4th c. |
No violent indications | Post church pottery dated to the end of the 8th c. and the beginning of the 9th c. over the floors. Exact date of church abandonment unknown. | Abandonment | Unknown |
The basilical church might had replaced an earlier pagan temple on the site, making use of its apse, granite columns and white pedestals.