Loffreda (1973:37) dated the construction of the synagogue near the Franciscan Church at Capernaum to “the last decade of the fourth to the middle of the fifth century A.D.” based primarily on numismatic evidence. The synagogue stood atop an artificial platform built over the remains of an earlier village (stratum A). While the chronology following the synagogue’s construction has been broadly established—though debated—its relationship to the abandonment or destruction of the underlying village remains uncertain. Russell (1980) proposed that the earlier village may have been damaged or destroyed by the northern Cyril Quake of 363 CE, citing numismatic evidence in support of this interpretation.

Following the publications of Loffreda (1972) and Loffreda (1973), several scholars challenged the proposed late 4th–early 5th century CE construction date for the Capernaum synagogue. Later analyses placed its construction significantly later: Magness (2001) argued for a terminus post quem in the third quarter of the 5th century CE, estimating an actual construction date in the 6th century CE.