Just a few centimeters beneath centuries-old farmland, archaeologists have uncovered one of the most spectacular discoveries in early Christian archaeology: a monumental church complex and lavish bishop’s palace dating back nearly 1,700 years. The find, led by researchers from the University of Bonn in collaboration with German and Italian institutions, is reshaping what scholars know about the rise of Christian power and representation in Late Antiquity.
For generations, plow blades skimmed across the buried stones of this early Christian site near Rome, unknowingly preserving a structure of immense historical importance. Rather than destroying it, continuous agricultural use spared the area from later construction. This stroke of luck allowed archaeologists to excavate an unusually intact early Christian complex within the Archaeological Park of Ostia Antica.
A Rare Window Into Early Christian Architecture
Ostia, once Rome’s most important harbor city, flourished during the Roman Empire due to trade and shipping. When silting gradually rendered the harbor unusable, the city declined economically. Yet for Christianity, Ostia entered a new phase of importance. After Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire in 380 AD, monumental churches began to reshape urban landscapes.
Until recently, little was visible on the surface to suggest that one of the earliest and largest churches of this era lay hidden here. Built around 330 AD during the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great, the church in Ostia functioned as a prototype for later monumental cathedrals across Europe, including architectural traditions that would eventually culminate in structures like Cologne Cathedral and Ulm Minster.
The Bishop of Ostia held a particularly prestigious role as Cardinal Dean, the figure responsible for convening the conclave after a pope’s death. Despite this importance, the exact location of the bishop’s seat had long remained a mystery—until now.
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