D.095 Apollonia - East Church

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Creator

Denis Baly

Image ID

D.095

Alternate Identifier

B04.095

Subcollection

D: North Africa

Abstract

Closeup of the columns in the East Church of Apollonia. -MA

Description

"Apollonia (Marsa Susa), Cyrene's port, was the second of the five cities of the Pentapolis—which became Hexapolis with the addition of Hadrianopolis in the reign of Antoninus Pius" (MacKendrick, 131). Shown here are the remains of what is called the 'East Church.' The church, "the largest Christian edifice in the city, was built over a Hellenistic or Roman building. Two phases, fifth and sixth-century, are recognized. To the latter phase belongs a mosaic from the south transept, showing Noah releasing the dove from the ark. There was an elegant clover-leaf baptistery, marble-revetted and perhaps cupolaed; there is provision for heating the baptismal water—Cyrenaicans were notorious for their luxury" (MacKendrick, 132).

References

MacKendrick, Paul. The North African Stones Speak. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1980.

Image Notes

Creation date unknown. Photograph processed September 1963. Formerly cataloged as B.04.095. Notes written on the slide or index: Apollonia E. Church.

Curator Notes

Legacy Subcollection: "D: Appollonia"

Image Format

35 mm slide

Geographic Reference

Susah, Libya