L’architecture chrétienne dans la région d’Amathonte à l’époque byzantine (IVe-XIIe siècles). Recherches archéologiques 1991-2012

Abstract

The ancient city of Amathous, the so-called “ Palaia Lemesos” was the seat of the second most important district of the island in Roman times, after Nea Paphos. The Troodos Mountain mines, the major factor of its prosperity, were included within its boundaries to the north, as well as the Kourion kingdom area to the west, including the Akrotiri peninsula, the Kouris valley, and probably even that of Evdhimou, and to the east the Vassilikos and Pentaschoinos valleys. Within this area, two major bishoprics are known, those of Kourion and Amathous, both very closely related with a third one, that of Neapolis, the autonomy of which is under question. The province remained important even after the removal of the capital city to Constantia in the 4th century, and at the end of the 6th century appears to have been the seat of the Archon Epiphanios, a man who must have played an important role in the restructuring of the defensive system of the island, whereas his son, St John the Almoner, left behind monumental structures reflecting his care for the Christians of his birthplace, Amathous, as well as for the Church as a whole. Great figures, namely saintly bishops, developed important activity, reflected in the ecclesiastical architecture of the area. The monuments uncovered in the last 20 years by the Department of Antiquities, dating from the beginning of the 4th century until 1222, enriched our knowledge regarding that activity and add important information that helps put together a picture of that period This article is the first step.