Ancient Christian Basilica in Aquileia - 4th Century

AI-created image of church ruins

 Researchers at the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) have made a significant archaeological find in Aquileia, Italy, uncovering an early Christian basilica that sheds new light on the town's historical and religious landscape. This church, which dates back to the era of the Byzantine Empire, highlights Aquileia's architectural and geopolitical ties to the reign of the renowned Emperor Justinian I. It also draws architectural comparisons to a similar 6th-century church in Carinthia.

Despite its current modest size and population of 3,000, Aquileia was once a bustling economic hub of the Roman Empire, strategically positioned at the terminal of the Amber Road and en route to what is now Austria. The town's significant past contrasts sharply with its present-day sparse landscape and proximity to the Grado lagoon on the Gulf of Trieste.

The discovery was made by the Austrian Archaeological Institute under the ÖAW, revealing a church from the 4th century that had been expanded into a grand three-aisled transept basilica by the 6th century, possibly during Justinian I's rule. This basilica is noted for its monumental size and is the first major structure found in Aquileia in many decades of detailed archaeological exploration.

The findings were part of a larger Byzantine construction effort suggested by the fortified structures from Justinian's time, similar to those found in Thessaloniki. This new basilica aligns with architectural styles seen across the Eastern Roman Empire, from Egypt to the Balkans, indicating a broader cultural and political influence.

Furthermore, the basilica's design, with its transept and three apses, is reflective of Byzantine influence seen in places ranging from Bethlehem to the Lycian coast in southwestern Turkey, and even as far as Durrës in Albania. This style not only serves a religious purpose but also marks a period of reconquest in Upper Italy by Justinian I, aiming to reclaim and reinforce Byzantine presence after the departure of the Arian Goths.

This research, supported by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) and in collaboration with the regional heritage office of Friuli Venezia Giulia, deepens our understanding of Aquileia's role in the Byzantine architectural and geopolitical strategy. The influence of such constructions even reached the episcopal church in Teurnia, Carinthia, reflecting similar architectural adaptations in that era.

Overall, this discovery not only highlights the architectural splendor of the past but also Aquileia's pivotal role in the historical and cultural narratives of the Byzantine and Roman empires. Read more here.