Page 128 - A Walk to Caesarea / Joseph Patrich

114 Archaeological Review b
a

Fig. 128a–b proof of the overly complex bureaucracy typical of Byzantine administration.
a. The northeastern waiting room Preserved in the two rooms near the street – on both sides of the central hall – are
inscriptions in a round medallion that speak of the prerogative of obedience to the
of the revenue office with authorities. Whoever behaves properly has nothing to fear. This is a paraphrase of
benches along its walls the Epistle of Paul to the Romans (13:3) in the New Testament: “Do you wish not
b. Greek inscription in a medallion to fear the authority? Do good and you will receive praise from it” (tr. K.G. Holum)
at the center of the southeastern (Fig. 128a–b).
waiting room, containing a
citation from the Epistle of Paul The marble pillars of the portico re-erected in front of the “revenue office” do not
to the Romans 13:3: “Do you belong here. Originally, there were kurkar pillars at this spot. Three levels of mosaic
wish not to fear the authority? floor of the portico were exposed here. A round lime kiln abuts the northern end of
Do good and you will receive the portico, where pieces of marble from nearby buildings were brought to be burnt
praise from it (tr. K.G. Holum)” for lime. It was probably installed here during the Muslim period, in connection
with the building of the Muslim city wall, which is hidden today in the core of the
Fig. 129a–b Crusader wall.
The “Grapevine Trees mosaic”

ab