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Tiberias - Basilica

Tiberias Basilica

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Introduction
Tiberias - Introduction Webpage

Maps, Aerial Views, and Plans
Maps, Aerial Views, and Plans

Normal Size

  • Fig. 4 Map of all Tiberias
    Figure 4: Map of ancient Tiberias (modified after Hirschfeld & Gutfeld, 2008) with indication of the inferred lineament and trench position.

    Ferrario et al (2015)
    sites studied by Ferrario et al (2020) (Basilica is middle right)
  • City center plan of
    Plan of the main buildings in the city center. Plan of the main buildings in the city center

    Stern et al (1993 v.4)
    Tiberias from Stern et al (1993 v.4)
  • Tiberias Basilica in Google Earth
    Tiberias Basilica

    click on image to explore this site on a new tab in Google Earth
  • Tiberias Basilica on govmap.gov.il
    Tiberias Basilica

    click on image to explore this site on a new tab in govmap.gov.il
  • Fig. 1 Plan of church on
    Figure 1

    The remains in the center of Tiberias, plan.

    Hirschfeld and Meir (2004)
    the remains in the center of Tiberias from Hirschfeld and Meir (2004)

Magnified

  • Fig. 1 Plan of church on
    Figure 1

    The remains in the center of Tiberias, plan.

    Hirschfeld and Meir (2004)
    the remains in the center of Tiberias from Hirschfeld and Meir (2004)

Chronology
Phasing

All of Tiberias

Stratum Period Date Notes
I Late Fatimid 11th century CE construction above the collapse caused by an earthquake (in 1033 CE?)
II Early Fatimid 9th - 10th centuries CE continued use of the street with shops.
III Abbasid 8th - 9th centuries CE a row of shops, the basilica building was renovated.
IV Byzantine–Umayyad 5th - 7th centuries CE the eastern wing was added to the basilica building; the paved street; destruction was caused by the earthquake in 749 CE.
V Late Roman 4th century CE construction of the basilica complex, as well as the city’s institutions, i. e., the bathhouse and the covered market place.
VI Roman 2nd - 3rd centuries CE establishment of the Hadrianeum in the second century CE (temple dedicated to Hadrian that was never completed) and industrial installations; the paving of the cardo and the city’s infrastructure.
VII Early Roman 1st century CE founding of Tiberias, construction of the palace with the marble floor on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, opus sectile, fresco.
VIII Hellenistic 1st - 2nd centuries BCE fragments of typical pottery vessels (fish plates, Megarian bowls).

End of Phase IV earthquake - mid 8th century CE ?

Plans

Plans

Normal Size

  • Fig. 1 Plan of church on
    Figure 1

    The remains in the center of Tiberias, plan.

    Hirschfeld and Meir (2004)
    the remains in the center of Tiberias from Hirschfeld and Meir (2004)

Magnified

  • Fig. 1 Plan of church on
    Figure 1

    The remains in the center of Tiberias, plan.

    Hirschfeld and Meir (2004)
    the remains in the center of Tiberias from Hirschfeld and Meir (2004)

Discussion

Hirschfeld and Meir (2004) discussed Stratum IV as follows:
Stratum IV (sixth century CE). Another, eastern wing, was apparently constructed east of the apse’s outer wall during the Byzantine period. It was accessed by way of an entrance adorned with magnificent doorjambs, in situ, whose lower parts were dressed to resemble half Attic bases (Fig. 5). The eastern wing was probably destroyed in the earthquake of 749 CE. The collapse inside the rooms contained numerous roof tiles, some of them almost complete and a large quantity of plaster and fragments of a plain mosaic floor. A noteworthy find from this destruction was a large bronze goblet-like mortar and a pestle that was found nearby, in the collapse of one of the rooms (Fig. 6). In all likelihood, these were not simple kitchen utensils, although their usage is unclear.

End of Phase II earthquake - 11th century CE

Hirschfeld and Meir (2004) noted that Stratum I was built above the collapse [of Stratum II] caused by an earthquake. Stratum I was dated to the 11th century CE while stratum II was dated to the 9th-10th centuries CE.

Seismic Effects
End of Phase IV earthquake - mid 8th century CE ?

Damage Type Location Image(s) Comments
Collapsed walls and structure  Eastern wing
Figure 1

The remains in the center of Tiberias, plan.

Hirschfeld and Meir (2004)
2nd storey and roof collapse Eastern wing
Figure 1

The remains in the center of Tiberias, plan.

Hirschfeld and Meir (2004)
  • The eastern wing was probably destroyed in the earthquake of 749 CE - Hirschfeld and Meir (2004)
  • The collapse inside the rooms contained numerous roof tiles, some of them almost complete and a large quantity of plaster and fragments of a plain mosaic floor. - Hirschfeld and Meir (2004)

End of Phase II earthquake - 11th century CE

Damage Type Location Image(s) Comments
Collapsed structure                Entire Building ?
Figure 1

The remains in the center of Tiberias, plan.

Hirschfeld and Meir (2004)

Deformation Maps
End of Phase IV earthquake - mid 8th century CE ?

Deformation Map

Modified by JW from Fig. 1 of Hirschfeld and Meir (2004)

Intensity Estimates
End of Phase IV earthquake - mid 8th century CE ?

Damage Type Location Image(s) Comments Intensity
Collapsed walls and structure  Eastern wing
Figure 1

The remains in the center of Tiberias, plan.

Hirschfeld and Meir (2004)
VIII+
2nd storey and roof collapse Eastern wing
Figure 1

The remains in the center of Tiberias, plan.

Hirschfeld and Meir (2004)
  • The eastern wing was probably destroyed in the earthquake of 749 CE - Hirschfeld and Meir (2004)
  • The collapse inside the rooms contained numerous roof tiles, some of them almost complete and a large quantity of plaster and fragments of a plain mosaic floor. - Hirschfeld and Meir (2004)
 VIII+
The archeoseismic evidence requires a minimum Intensity of VIII (8) when using the Earthquake Archeological Effects chart of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224).

End of Phase II earthquake - 11th century CE

Damage Type Location Image(s) Comments Intensity
Collapsed structure                Entire Building ?
Figure 1

The remains in the center of Tiberias, plan.

Hirschfeld and Meir (2004)
VIII+
The archeoseismic evidence requires a minimum Intensity of VIII (8) when using the Earthquake Archeological Effects chart of Rodríguez-Pascua et al (2013: 221-224).

Notes and Further Reading
References

Articles and Books

Ferrario, M. F., et al. (2020). The mid-8th century CE surface faulting along the Dead Sea Fault at Tiberias (Sea of Galilee, Israel) Tectonics Research Article

Hirschfeld Y. and Meir E. (2004) Tiberias – 2004 Hadashot Arkheologiyot v. 118