Page 60 - A Walk to Caesarea / Joseph Patrich
P. 60
46 Historical Review
Fig. 50a–c A Samaritan synagogue (Figs. 50a–c) was installed to the east of the dux’s
palace – the palace of the former Roman governor, part of which was damaged and
Remnants of a basilical destroyed by waves. Nearby, to the north, was perhaps a Christian church. Yet,
structure facing eastward, the presence of the Samaritans, mentioned in literary sources, is also revealed by
toward Mount Gerizim amulets (Figs. 51a–c) as well as typical terra-cotta oil lamps (Fig. 52). Inscriptions
on the site of the western without a cross, in which there is an address to “the one God” (eis theos), are
part of the palace of the perhaps Samaritan (some of them, at least) (Fig. 53). According to one of the
Roman governor. Possibly a rabbinic sources, the Samaritans constituted the majority of the staff (taxis) of the
Samaritan synagogue provincial governor in the city (JT, Avodah Zarah 1 2, 39c; the text refers to the
a. The central hall (nave) time of the religious persecutions by Diocletian). The Samaritans were, of course,
the majority in the land of Samaria – the agricultural hinterland of the city. There
flanked by aisles were also separate army units composed solely of Samaritans, despite the order
b. The apse and the base given by Zeno as a result of the Samaritan revolt in 484, banning the recruitment
of Samaritans into the army. This was preceded by orders from Honorius in 404
stone of the chancel and Theodosius II in 438 or 439, and this policy was also continued by Justinian in
behind which stood the 527–531. A Samaritan army unit, however, did take part in the battle against the
Torah ark. Looking north Muslims, so it is clear that this prohibition was not stringently applied. One of the
c. A Greek inscription “For the city’s dignitaries in the sixth century was Faustinus, a member of an old Samaritan
salvation of Silvanus and family, who converted to Christianity.
Nonia” (CIIP II. 1150) The
absence of crosses on both
ends of the inscription
may indicate that this was
not a Christian inscription.
The names Silvanus and
Nona were common
among the Samaritans
ab
c
