A CHRISTIAN CHURCH

Directly to the east of the "Villa of Plinius" a stretch of the Via Severiana and a small Christian church can be seen, discovered in 1939. The rectangular building measures only 16.60 x 9.40 metres. It has a single nave with an apse. The back part is the area for the priests, the presbyterium, with a marble floor, 0.30 higher than the rest of the church. The imprint of the square altar has been preserved. In the middle of the nave low walls create the schola cantorum for the choir. In front of the entrance was a small porch supported by four marble columns.

Plan of the church. From Buonaguro et al. 2011, fig. 3.

The walls are made of tuff and bricks. The building material and marble were probably taken from the nearby villa. Two building phases can be distinguished that are not easy to date, but are most likely from the 5th and 6th century. At an unknown point in time the building burned down and collapsed. In the destruction layer a coin was found that was struck in Rome in 668-673 AD. It has a bust of Constantine IV. It is not known to whom the church was dedicated, and we can only guess who were the faithful that visited the church.

The stretch of the Via Severiana. Photo: La Mia Ostia.

The little Christian church. Photo: Marcelli 2019, fig. 4.

The coin of Constantine IV. From Buonaguro et al. 2011, fig. 10.

Reconstruction drawing of the church. From Buonaguro et al. 2011, fig. 17.