Original scientific paper
Dal Mediterraneo al Mar Rosso: la cristianizzazione della città-porto di Adulis e la diffusione di modelli e manufatti bizantini
Caterina Giostra
; Catholic University of Milano, Italy
Serena Massa
; Catholic University of Milano, Italy
Abstract
Until late Antiquity the Red Sea represented a commercial artery of extraordinary importance, linking the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa. In connection with the early spread of Christianity, recent studies have emphasized the role played by foreign communities of Christian merchants settled in the city-ports, as a precedent to the official adoption of the Christian faith. In Adulis (Eritrea), the main port city of the kingdom of Aksum, since 2011 an Italian-Eritrean mission is bringing to light two early Christian churches, one of which from the second half of the 4th century. The article aims to present the recent excavation data, evaluating the possible models and areas of influence in the plans; also, liturgical furnishing in proconnesian marble and gold crosses with Greek inscriptions represent significant markers of valuable products from the Byzantine Empire circulating wide-ranging by the sea.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
179625
URI
Publication date:
1.5.2016.
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