Two destructions were visited upon Sepphoris in the middle of the 4th century CE. In 351–352 CE, the city was at the epicenter of the Gallus Revolt. According to several ancient authors including Jerome, Socrates Scholasticus, and Sozomen, the city was burned, razed to the foundations, or destroyed (Strange et al. 2006:22–23). A little over a decade later, the city was destroyed or damaged by an earthquake. In a letter attributed to Cyril of Jerusalem, we read that "the whole of Sepphoris (SWPRYN) and its territory (χωρα)" was "overthrown" by the northern 363 CE Cyril Quake.

Meyers et al. (1992:17) suggested that mid-4th century CE rebuilding evidence in Sepphoris was largely due to the 363 CE Cyril Quake, adding that "the splendid villa with its mosaics and perhaps even the adjacent theater were buried in the collapse and went out of use at this time." In contrast, Strange et al. (2006:63) argued that destruction debris in the cavea of the theater was deliberately placed there during cleanup after the city’s destruction or damage stemming from the Gallus Revolt. They further opined that "while it is theoretically possible that the earthquake of 363 C.E. destroyed the Villa, it is not likely, for the simple reason that no one repaired the Villa or rebuilt it, nor did excavation reveal smashed stones or walls that were thrown down" (Strange et al. 2006:122). They added that "all of the rooms that we probed were filled with erosion and deliberate fill" and proposed that the Tower (the Citadel) was constructed in the mid-4th century CE after domestic structures on the summit were destroyed during the Gallus Revolt (Strange et al. 2006:47).

In the excavation report of Strange et al. (2006), several mid-4th century CE destruction layers were encountered. In Square I.12 of Field I, they identified L12016, "a thick [50–78 cm.] layer of soil with charcoal and ash" marking "the destruction of the Villa" (Strange et al. 2006:80), with coin evidence providing a terminus post quem of 355–361 CE. They also found "traces of destruction" in the east balk of Square I.10 (Strange et al. 2006:98) and assigned abandonment or damage of the villa to Phase 4, dated "between 351 and 361 C.E., judging from the stratigraphy and the coins" (Strange et al. 2006:122). In Square I.1 near the Tower, they identified what may be two destruction layers: Locus 1025, containing ash and charcoal "evidently from a 4th century fire," and Locus 1024 above it, "a 30 cm. thick destruction layer, dark with ash, and containing potsherds from the Early Roman through the Late Roman periods" (Strange et al. 2006:47).

Waterman et al. (1937) also reported mid-4th century CE destruction evidence which they speculated could have been caused by the Gallus Revolt, although the northern Cyril Quake could also have been partly or wholly responsible. They noted that "large architectural fragments belonging to the masonry of the theater" were found "at various depths" and "nearer the top" of cistern No. 8, and inferred a mid-4th century destruction from the abundance of Byzantine sherds and the lack of post-Byzantine material (Waterman et al. 1937:30, n.52). They also found evidence of burning, a disturbed and overturned floor, uncharred human remains, and an uncharred pickaxe in Room 10, with an 8–10 cm. burned layer extending north of the room near the theater and in the debris immediately south of it (Waterman et al. 1937:30–31).

Although Waterman et al. (1937), Meyers et al. (1992), and Strange et al. (2006) differed in their interpretations of the cause of destruction, the letter attributed to Cyril of Jerusalem strongly suggests that at least some seismic collapse occurred at the site.

JW: The villa of Meyers et al. (1992) and the villa(s) of Strange et al. (2006) may not refer to the same structure.