Virtual Dig 2006
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When Rome Moved East
You've heard about the fall of Rome? The Vandals trashed the famous city in
A.D. 455. They caused so much damage that the very name vandal has come to mean
someone who ruins on purpose.
More than a century earlier, however, the Emperor Constantine had outsmarted the
Vandals. In A.D. 330 he moved the Roman capital far to the east. The new
capital, Constantinople, was named after him. Still a thriving city, it's now
called Istanbul and is part of the nation of Turkey.
The pottery we find in our little church at Hippos matches pottery made from the
fourth to eighth centuries A.D. That means our church was a place of worship
during the A.D. 500s when the Byzantine Empire reached its peak, controlling
parts of southern and eastern Europe, northern Africa and the Middle East --
including Hippos.
These Byzantines studied ancient Greek literature and philosophy, preserved
Roman law and spread Christianity to Russians, Slavs and others in the Empire.
From Circus to Empress
Women's rights in Byzantine society were few. But one woman rose from lowly
beginnings to great power. She lived at the time our little church was in use.
Empress Theodora, born about A.D. 500, may have been the daughter of a circus
animal keeper. She became a circus performer herself, then an actress and
prostitute.
But she eventually became a Christian, married the future ruler and became
empress with her husband, Justinian I, in A.D. 527.
Justinian was also a Christian, but persecuted other Christians who opposed
official church teachings. He persecuted Jews and pagans as well. In A.D. 529 he
closed the ancient schools of philosophy in Athens because they taught
traditional pagan philosophy.
In 532, people in Constantinople revolted against Justinian and burned down the
central part of the city. Theodora may have saved him by helping to suppress the
revolt.
Justinian's rebuilding after the revolt included a famous church, Hagia
Sophia, which still stands. His collection of laws, the Justinian Code, is the
basis for legal systems in many countries.
Justinian's armies also defeated the Vandals in Italy, Spain and North
Africa, but his wars were costly. Taxes were high. At his death in A.D. 565, the
empire was out of money.
 Muslim Arabs attacked the
Byzantine Empire in A.D. 634 and by 642 had conquered Egypt, Syria and
Palestine. We know people still lived at Hippos after the Muslim takeover
because we found a decanter, a vessel for pouring water. The decanter is in a
style called Ummayad, used after the Muslims came to power.
How Old is Hippos?
Before the Muslim period, we find a lot of Byzantine artifacts and
architecture. Still earlier, we find Roman styles. We know Hippos was part of a
Roman political organization called the Decapolis or 10 Cities.
It was in Roman times, about A.D. 30, when Jesus told his followers, "You are
the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid." (Matthew 5:14).
We can't be sure, but Jesus may have been pointing to Hippos as an example. It
overlooks the Sea of Galilee where Jesus taught.
Hippos also has building and pottery styles called Hellenistic from just after
the time Alexander the Great conquered the area about 333 B.C.
When did Hippos start? We aren't sure.
Armies of King Ahab of Israel and King Ben-Hadad II of Damascas fought near here
about 855 B.C., 13 centuries before the time of our little church (1 Kings 20).
The Bible says nothing about Ahab's strategy, but Israelite troops could have
surprised Ben-Hadad by sneaking across this very mountain, some military
historians think.
If so, that may mean there was no town here at that time. We won't know until we
dig deeper.
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