Posted: Aug 22, 2017 10:04 am
Leucius Charinus wrote:MS2 wrote:I'm currently on holiday in Split, Croatia. I didn't realize, but there's an ancient Roman town here called Salona. So we went to have a look. And there is physical evidence of the early veneration of the first Christian martyrs. There is an ampitheatre used in the time of Diocletian and they have found frescoes there where the Christians made a shrine commemorating where the first martyrs died. And nearby there are the remains of a church built over where they were buried.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SalonaSalona had a mint that was connected with the mint in Sirmium and silver mines in the Dinaric Alps through Via Argentaria. When the Roman Emperor Diocletian retired, he erected a monumental palace nearby. This massive structure, known as Diocletian's Palace, became the core of the modern city of Split.
Salona's continuing prosperity resulted in extensive church building in the fourth and fifth centuries, including an episcopal basilica and a neighboring church and baptistery inside the walls, and several shrines honoring martyrs outside. These have made it a major site for studying the development of Christian sacred architecture.[7]
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Sounds like a great journey. Any pics?
I'll post some when home if I can work out how! But that wiki article links to YouTube clips that give good idea
Can you check that you have a clear and unambiguous date for the relics prior to the 4th and 5th century?
4th cent. Can't be earlier than that as the martyrdoms were at start of 4th