Studies in the Residential Architecture of Late Roman Thessalonica and its Vicinity Volume I by Konstantinos Prapoglou 2015 Royal Holloway, University of London ii Studies in the Residential Architecture of Late Roman Thessalonica and its Vicinity Konstantinos Prapoglou Student Number 100173130 Department of Classics, Royal Holloway, University of London MPhil thesis Volumes I-II Declaration of Authorship I, Konstantinos Prapoglou, hereby declare that this thesis and the work presented in it is entirely my own. Where I have consulted the work of others, this is always clearly stated. Signature: Date: iii Studies in the Residential Architecture of Late Roman Thessalonica and its Vicinity Konstantinos Prapoglou Abstract Working mainly from the published archaeological record, the thesis re-assesses the chronology, design and socio-political significance of palatial and elite housing in Thessalonica (Greece) during the 4th-6th centuries AD. The first two chapters introduce the historical and archaeological context, the latter with particular attention to the dating criteria that have been employed. The following three chapters examine the specific issues of dating and interpretation surrounding respectively the ‘Palace of Galerius’, the early 5th century country villa at Palaeokastro, and the range of Thessalonican town houses with apsidal halls (of which a catalogue forms an appendix). In the case of the ‘Palace of Galerius’ the thesis finds that few of the remains traditionally associated with the palace are likely to be Galerian in date, most are significantly later, and it also discusses the layout and functions of the various components. The study of the Villa at Palaeokastro is not concerned so much with dating, rather with the definition of its plan-type, the organisation, functions and decoration of space. It draws comparison with other elite country villas of the period on the one hand, and the local town houses of Thessalonica on the other. The analysis of the town houses identifies two chronological groups, one assigned to the 4th and another to the 5th century onwards, and considers the extent to which these represent local developments and/or different traditions or have a larger historical significance, in relation to the influx of military personnel attached either to the emperor’s presence in the city or to Thessalonica’s role as the capital of Illyricum after 441. iv Acknowledgements The journey of this part-time self-funded thesis began in 2001 with an interruption for my military service in the Greek army between 2007 and 2009. Foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor Prof. Amanda Claridge for the continuous support during my studies and research, for her patience, motivation and dedication. Her guidance helped me during the researching and writing of this thesis. Besides my supervisor, I would like to thank Prof. Jonathan Powell, Prof. Boris Rankov, and Prof. Lene Rubinstein from the Department of Classics at Royal Holloway for their advice and help throughout the years. I wish to express my sincere appreciation to those who have contributed to this thesis and supported me with their invaluable insights and suggestions: archaeologists Dr. Stephi Korti-Kondi and Prof. Theodosia Tiveriou-Stefanidou from the Aristotle University of Thessalonica, archaeologists Dr. Efterpi Marki and Dr. Panayota Atzaka-Assimakopoulou from the Thessalonica archaeological service, Dr. Polixeni Adam-Veleni (director of the Archaeological Museum of Thessalonica), geologists Prof. Dimitris Mountrakis (Head of the Department of Geology at Aristotle University) and Dr.Vassiliki Pachta, as well as the numerous other archaeologists from the Thessalonica archaeological service who assisted me several times during my site visits at the palatial complex and, of course, Dr. Jonathan Bardill. I also acknowledge the invaluable moral support and encouragement from all my dear friends, and especially His Eminence Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain, Stephen Hodson, Ioanna Kasapaki, Anna Ciriacidou, Marina Aivaliotou, Phaedra Zabatha-Pagoulatou, Lady Marina Andrews-Harahap and Count Alexandre de Bothuri Bàthory. Last but not least, I thank my family, whose contribution to my efforts has been beyond words. A special thanks to my recently passed, beloved grandmother, Elizabeth Kountouri. v Table of Contents Volume I Abstract ..........................................................................................................................iii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................ iv List of figures and their source ....................................................................................... vi Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter I: Historical Introduction: Politics and Society in Roman Thessalonica 1.1 Thessalonica before the Tetrarchy .............................................................................. 3 1.2 Tetrarchic Capital, AD 293-360 (end of House of Constantine) ............................... 12 1.3 The reign of Theodosius (379-395) .......................................................................... 24 1.4 Capital of the Prefecture of Illyricum AD 441-7th century ........................................ 27 Chapter II: Archaeology in Thessalonica: Problems of Chronology and Methodology 2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 29 2.2 The History of Excavations and the Documentary Record ....................................... 30 2.3 Datable Buildings .................................................................................................... 33 2.4 Criteria for Dating ................................................................................................... 49 Chapter III: The ‘Palace of Galerius’ 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 68 3.2 Available Studies ..................................................................................................... 70 3.3 The Complex ........................................................................................................... 71 3.4 Comparison with other Tetrarchic and Later Imperial Palaces ............................... 105 Chapter IV: The Villa at Palaeokastro 4.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 112 4.2 The Residential Nucleus ........................................................................................ 113 4.3 Ownership and Function ........................................................................................ 120 4.4 Comparison with other Late Roman Country Villas ............................................... 121 Chapter V: The Late Roman Townhouses of Thessalonica 5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 130 5.2 Plan Type .............................................................................................................. 132 5.3 Flooring Type ........................................................................................................ 135 5.4 Comparanda .......................................................................................................... 139 vi 5.5 Dating the Houses .................................................................................................. 142 5.6 Ownership ............................................................................................................. 148 Chapter VI: Conclusion ............................................................................................ 159 Tables 1-2 ................................................................................................................... 164 Volume II Figures 1-162 .............................................................................................................. 173 Appendix - Thessalonica Houses with apsidal halls 1-10, including 50 figures ............ 277 Bibliography and Abbreviations .................................................................................. 320 List of Figures (all figures refer to Thessalonica unless otherwise stated) Fig.1: Map showing route of the via Egnatia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Via_Egnatia- en.jpg accessed on 30/06/2014). Fig.2: Map of the Prefecture of Illyricum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Prefecture.png as accessed on 30/06/2014). Fig.3: Notitia Dignitatum Integrated list of fabricae and their geographical locations (from James 1988:327-8). Fig.4: Map showing the part of Thessalonica destroyed by the Great Fire in 1917 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Thessaloniki_Fire_1917_Map.jpg, accessed on 30/06/2014). Fig.5: Plan of Thessalonica showing the surviving circuit of the city walls and other excavated sites (after Rizos 2011: fig.1 with additions). Fig.6: City Wall: Phases in construction (a) AD 250s; (b) c. 300-363, outer phase is shown at top; (c). Theodosius I (379-395) or Theodosius II (401-450) (from Rizos 2011:figs.2-4). Fig.7: Brickstamps and table of types with subdivisions (from Vickers 1973b:figs.1-3 and table 1). Fig.8: City Wall: Findspots of brick stamps (from Theocharidou 2004:fig.1). Fig.9: City Wall: