The saint martyrs of Cherson according to the written and archaeological sources
Chersonesos in Taurica, situated in the southwest part of Crimea, existed from the late 5th cent. BC to the early 15th cent. AD (Fig. 1). One of the most interesting periods is the time of Christianity acceptance in the 4th cent. AD (Цукерман 1994: 549; Золотарев, Коробков 2002: 69-70). The events a...
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irk-123456789-1729562020-11-17T01:27:15Z The saint martyrs of Cherson according to the written and archaeological sources Klenina, E. Chersonesos in Taurica, situated in the southwest part of Crimea, existed from the late 5th cent. BC to the early 15th cent. AD (Fig. 1). One of the most interesting periods is the time of Christianity acceptance in the 4th cent. AD (Цукерман 1994: 549; Золотарев, Коробков 2002: 69-70). The events are reflected in written sources of the 7th cent. AD (Латышев 1907). The descriptions of the events connected with martyrs and its dating have provoked a great interest for the explorers. However information from the sources is extremely discordant, that handicaps searching of monuments, connected with the Chersonesos martyrs. The archаeological monuments, bound with activity of the martyrs can be divided into two categories: occurring during martyrs lifetime building or then tombs and memorial buildings constructed in the period of immortalizing of the martyrs in the 6th-7th centuries Одним из наиболее интересных периодов существования Херсонеса является время христианизации населения в IV в. Эти события отражены в письменном источнике VII в. Сохранились археологические памятники, которые можно разделить на две группы: сооружения, существовавшие при жизни епископов-мучеников, а также их могилы и мемориальные постройки, появившиеся в период увековечивания их памяти в VI-VII вв. Канонизация первых христианских святых мучеников получила распространение по всей империи в ранневизантийский период. 2006 Article The saint martyrs of Cherson according to the written and archaeological sources / E. Klenina // Херсонесский сборник. — 2006. — Вип. 15. — С. 117-127. — Бібліогр.: 23 назв. — англ. XXXX-0129 http://dspace.nbuv.gov.ua/handle/123456789/172956 en Херсонесский сборник Кримський філіал Інституту археології НАН України |
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Chersonesos in Taurica, situated in the southwest part of Crimea, existed from the late 5th cent. BC to the early 15th cent. AD (Fig. 1). One of the most interesting periods is the time of Christianity acceptance in the 4th cent. AD (Цукерман 1994: 549; Золотарев, Коробков 2002: 69-70). The events are reflected in written sources of the 7th cent. AD (Латышев 1907). The descriptions of the events connected with martyrs and its dating have provoked a great interest for the explorers. However information from the sources is extremely discordant, that handicaps searching of monuments, connected with the Chersonesos martyrs. The archаeological monuments, bound with activity of the martyrs can be divided into two categories: occurring during martyrs lifetime building or then tombs and memorial buildings constructed in the period of immortalizing of the martyrs in the 6th-7th centuries |
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Klenina, E. The saint martyrs of Cherson according to the written and archaeological sources Херсонесский сборник |
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Klenina, E. |
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Klenina, E. |
| title |
The saint martyrs of Cherson according to the written and archaeological sources |
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The saint martyrs of Cherson according to the written and archaeological sources |
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The saint martyrs of Cherson according to the written and archaeological sources |
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The saint martyrs of Cherson according to the written and archaeological sources |
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The saint martyrs of Cherson according to the written and archaeological sources |
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saint martyrs of cherson according to the written and archaeological sources |
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Кримський філіал Інституту археології НАН України |
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The saint martyrs of Cherson according to the written and archaeological sources / E. Klenina // Херсонесский сборник. — 2006. — Вип. 15. — С. 117-127. — Бібліогр.: 23 назв. — англ. |
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AT kleninae thesaintmartyrsofchersonaccordingtothewrittenandarchaeologicalsources AT kleninae saintmartyrsofchersonaccordingtothewrittenandarchaeologicalsources |
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117
Херсонесский сборник. Выпуск 15
E. KLENINA
the sAiNt mArtyrs of ChersoNesos ACCordiNG
to WritteN ANd ArChАeoloGiCAl sourCes*
∗ Статья написана на основе доклада, сделанного на Международной конференции «The Cult of Martyrs and Relics and its
Architecture in East and West (3d – 7th c. AD)» в г. Варне (Болгария) в ноябре 2003 г.
Chersonesos in Taurica, situated in the southwest
part of Crimea, existed from the late 5th cent. BC to
the early 15th cent. AD (Fig. 1). One of the most inter-
esting periods is the time of Christianity acceptance
in the 4th cent. AD (Цукерман 1994: 549; Золотарев,
Коробков 2002: 69-70). The events are reflected in
written sources of the 7th cent. AD (Латышев 1907).
The descriptions of the events connected with mar-
tyrs and its dating have provoked a great interest for
the explorers. However information from the sources
is extremely discordant, that handicaps searching of
monuments, connected with the Chersonesos martyrs.
The archаeological monuments, bound with activity
of the martyrs can be divided into two categories: oc-
curring during martyrs lifetime building or then tombs
and memorial buildings constructed in the period of
immortalizing of the martyrs in the 6th-7th centuries.
Written source narrates about the sermons and
martyrdom of the maiden bishops - missionaries. Ac-
cording to the source the bishop Basil was killed and
buried for defensive walls on the western necropolis
(Кекелидзе 1913: 84). There are no mentions about
the form and situation of the graves. Two cruciform
early Byzantine mausoleums were discovered on the
both necropolises. Western mausoleum dated to the
late 4th - early 5th cent. AD was appeared during the
process of Christianity acceptance (Fig. 2/A; 3/A). It
seems to be a family mausoleum. This construction
was erected above the crypt to have been cut down in
a rock (Кленина 2004: 51-57; Бернацки, Кленина,
Рыжов 2004: 39-43). The cruciform building was di-
rectly connected through a doorway with crypt down.
Probably there was a Saint Basil tomb.
Often maiden martyrs had been buried in fam-
ily crypts or mausoleums of the rich townspeople.
The analogical samples of burial of martyrs in fam-
ily mausoleums are widely known. For example, the
martyr Anastasias from Aquileia, respected by one of
nobility family from Salona, was buried in the mauso-
leum in 304 year. One of the three religious center of
the town had been appeared on this place later (Deich-
mann 1994: 57; Беляев 2000: 94). Other presumable
place of burying of Saint Basil is the crypt at western
necropolis, discovered in 1912. It was a family crypt
as well. There is a fresco on the one of the wall to be
represented the man and the woman. The man indi-
cates by the hand the ship and outline profile of city
(Fig. 4/C). The fresco is dated to the 4th-5th cent. AD.
Later crypt was rebuilt in a chapel (Fig. 4/A-B). In
opinion of M. Rostovtzev, the crypt was revamped in
a chapel after relics of sacred martyr were carried to
other place (Ростовцев 1914: 478). It seems to me
the cruciform mausoleum at the western necropolis is
more probable place of Saint Basil burying. On this
place the basilica was erected later.
According to the written source of the 7th cent.
AD three bishops being the followers of Saint Basil
were buried at the east necropolis in the second half
of the 4th century (Кекелидзе 1913: 84). The small
mausoleum was discovered on the place dated to the
end-4th - early-5th cent. AD above the memorial grave
or graves. Two pieces of sigma-shaped mensa sacra
of the end-4th cent. AD with the relief human face,
heads of the ram and griffin was found during the
excavation of the chapel (Косцюшко-Валюжинич
1904: 52) (Fig. 5/B). The mensa sacra was used dur-
ing funeral repasts on the memorial tombs (Biernacki
1999: 75-86; Беляев 2000: 96). This mausoleum was
rebuilt to the cruciform building (Fig. 2/C; 5/A). The
cruciform martyrium on the east necropolis erected in
the 5th – first half-6th centuries. The four entrances on
the faces of the cross branches led into the church. It
could be a mausoleum at the first period when the four
doors existed (Бернацки, Кленина, Рыжов 2004: 93-
96). The tomb of the saint could be put in the center
of the mausoleum.
Cruciform buildings were intended for martyri-
ums dedicated to a Sacred Cross and memory of the
martyrs from the 4th cent. AD. One of the most well
known analogies of the early Christian architecture
is martyrium Galla Placidie in Ravenna (425-450)
(Якобсон 1959: 61; 1983: 35; Koch 1996: 83) (Fig.
118
Кленина Е.Ю. Святые мученики херсонские...
6/A). There are a few simples in Balkan region. Cru-
ciform church of the 5th-6th centuries was discovered
at the hill Tsarevets in Veliko Tyrnovo (Northern Bul-
garia) (Чанева-Дечевска 1999: 220-221) (Fig. 6/B).
Martyrium of the 4th cent. AD with a crypt was inves-
tigated nearby the village Voden (Southern Bulgaria).
Basilica was erected at the end-5th-early-6th cent. AD
on the place of the mausoleum to be included in the
memorial complex (Чанева-Дечевска 1999: 240-
241) (Fig. 6/C).
Bishop-missionary Capiton had approved Chris-
tianity in Chersonesos by rigid measures. He has de-
stroyed Greek sanctuary and on its place erected a
Christian church. Uvarov basilica dated of the late-4th
- early-5th century was identified with the early Chris-
tian church to be built by Capiton (Fig. 2/D; 7). It was
the large basilica with atrium and baptistery. The me-
morial crypt (3.55 х 2.85 х 1.78 m) was discovered
in the south gallery erected later than basilica (Бер-
нацки, Кленина, Рыжов 2004: 71-74). Here bishop
Capiton could be buried.
The active process of martyr’ relics carrying in
churches began at the turn of the 6th-7th centuries AD.
The believers become to show special interest in study
of Christian relics, history of martyr’ s life and death.
In this period the guidebooks have appeared. They had
to help the believers finding the graves of the martyrs
(Беляев 2000: 72). Lives of the Saints were created in
this period in all part of Empire. The places for erec-
tion of basilicas were carefully selected. It should be
connected to life or death of the martyrs (Deichmann
1994: 58). According to the archaeological data the
Holy place in Chersonesos were incorporated into the
churches made accessible to believers at the second
half of the 6th-7th century. The immortalizing of memory
of the seven maiden bishops has found reflection not
only in written sources, but also in the sacral architec-
ture. “Western” basilica is not incidentally construct-
ed in place of cruciform mausoleum, where perhaps
the bishop Basil could be buried (Fig. 2; 3/A). The
basilica allowed visiting persons interested in an an-
niversary liturgy dedicated to the dead martyr. The
reliquary was put into cruciform deepening under the
floor of the central part of presbyterium (Fig. 3/B, D).
Reliquary dated of the 4th-5th cent. AD was made from
the white marble in a shape of sarcophagi (Koch 1996:
129-130; Minchev 2003: 24-25) (Fig. 3/C). The hole
for oil of reliquary could be in a cover. The oil was
instilled to the inner space of small reliquary, then oil
was placed in ampoules and distributed to the parish-
ioners and pilgrims (Koch 1996: 129). The crypts with
reliquary are known in a basilica № 6 of the second half
of the 6th cent. in Diocletianopolis and basilica on the
island Kos (Fig. 6/D-E).
Another interested feature is the ambo of the 6th
century with two marches of the stairways placed in
the center part of basilica. The balcony and fragment
of balustrade of ambo were discovered during the ex-
cavations (Кленина 2004: 51-57; Бернацки, Клени-
на, Рыжов 2004: 39-43) (Fig. 8-9). Such arrangement
of an ambo is characteristic for the early Christian
churches of Northern and Western Black Sea coasts,
Asia Minor, Palestine, Northwest Africa and Spain
(Donceel-Voûte 1998: 139; Biernacki 2002: 73). The
ambo was used during the procession of a Grate En-
trance with the participation of high rank priests and
emperor (Taft 1978). The festive processions could
be timed to the anniversary of Saint Basil death. The
pilgrims visited the basilica. The water source was ar-
ranged in a southeast corner of the basilica (Косцюш-
ко-Валюжинич 1902: 65). The threshold between
southern nave and narthex of the basilica is deleted
more strongly than others. That is the evidence of a
special popularity of the source. The similar source
is found in a bishop basilica of the 6th-9th centuries in
Barcelona (Spain) (Godoy, 1998: 167) (Fig. 10). The
water filled up a font in baptisteries and than followed
in an equipped source for the pilgrims in atrium. This
complex was connected to a cult of the martyrs and
was a place of pilgrimage.
In a western part of Chersonesos the memorial
church erected above the kiln was found. Bishop
Capiton had come in which one according to the writ-
ten source. The church is an exact tetraconch with
four large apses oriented parts of the world (Кутай-
сов 1980: 156-169) (Fig. 2/B). Two doors had situ-
ated in each apse, except for a western apse. Inside the
building there were mosaic floors. During the exca-
vation the fragments of the mosaic were discovered.
One of pieces arranged in a western apse, represents
the peacock with a lowered tail, legs on west placed
among vegetative ornaments with black trefoils and
red-yellow bunches of a grapes. The representation of
two birds were placed above from the right, below
on the right there was a fragment of the representa-
tion of eagle with the dismissed wings and legs on the
south (Лепер 1911: 92-96). The mosaic was made of
small-sized polychromatic rock cubes and smalt. The
memorial kiln was under the mosaic floor. According
to the archaeological data the tetraconch church was
erected under the kiln for the lime not earlier than the
second half of the 6th century (Голофаст 2002: 109;
Бернацки, Кленина, Рыжов 2004: 49-52). The build-
ing was destroyed in the 8th-9th centuries and later was
not used as a church.
The tetraconch churches appeared in Georgia in the
6th century. The church Dzhvari at the monastery Mtsheta
(587-605 years) is the most close analogy to Chersone-
119
Херсонесский сборник. Выпуск 15
sos tetraconch (Макрова, Плетнева 2003: 293).
The cruciform mausoleum on eastern necropolis
was rebuilt in the second half of the 6th century (Fig.
2/C, 5/A). All doors were blocked except for west-
ern. The synthronon was build at the eastern branch
of a cross. The reliquary was put under the alter. The
prothesis was erected from the northeast part of the
cruciform church; diakonikon was situated in the
southeast part in this period (Fig. 5/A).
The wall of altar was decorated with smalt mosaic.
The walls of the church were covered with polychro-
matic fresco. The frescos and wall mosaics were not
kept up to present days. The floors of the church were
richly decorated with the mosaics. Fine safety of the
mosaic floors were in three branches of a cross and
central part of a temple. The central part of mosaic
is figured high kantharos and two peacocks. Thirteen
series medallions with different animal and bird fig-
ures cover all area of a western wing of a church.
The rebuilding of the martyrium in a church should
be dated not earlier than 574 years. The cruciform
church out-of-the town transforms from independent
mausoleum in piligrimage center arranged on a Chris-
tian cemetery. The walls surrounded the complex of
buildings connected to the church. This complex was
widely known in all Christendom as a place of burial
of the Roman Pope St. Martin I, died in 656 in the
exile in Chersonesos (Кондаков 1887: 17).
Thus, reflected in a written source of the 7th cen-
tury events, narrated about tragic destiny of the seven
bishops, have been confirmed by archаeological data.
The persecution and subsequent canonization of the
maiden missionaries were characteristic for Roman
Empire in the early Byzantine period. Chersonesos
sacral architecture of the 4th-7th centuries was similar
to the churches in Balkan, Asia Minor, Palestinian re-
gions. It’s the evidence of a commonality of historical
and religious processes in these locales.
BiBlioGrAphy
Беляев Л.А. 2000 Христианские древности. (Санкт-Петербург).
Бернацки A.Б. 2002 Амвоны в интерьере раннехристианских базилик Западного и Северного Причерноморья.
Церковная археология Южной Руси. (Симферополь): 69-82.
Бернацки А.Б., Кленина Е.Ю., Рыжов С.Г. (ред.) 2004 Ранневизантийские сакральные постройки Херсонеса Тав-
рического. (Poznań).
Голофаст Л.А. 2001 Стекло ранневизантийского Херсонеса. МАИЭТ. (Симферополь). 8: 97-260.
Золотарев М.И., Коробков Д.Ю. 2002 О епископе Капитоне и крещении жителей Херсонеса в IV веке по Р.Х. Пра-
вославные древности Таврики. (Киев): 68-73.
Кекелидзе К. 1913 Житие святых епископов Херсонесских в грузинской минее. ИАК. (Санкт-Петербург). 49: 75-88.
Кленина Е.Ю. 2004 Хронология христианских памятников на участке Западной базилики. Культовые памятники
в мировой культуре: археологический, исторический и философский аспекты. (Севастополь): 51-64.
Кондаков Н.П. 1887 Византийская церковь и памятники Константинополя. Труды VI Археологического съезда.
(Одесса). 3: 1-229.
Косцюшко-Валюжинич К.К. 1902 Отчет о раскопках в Херсонесе в 1901 году. ИАК. (Санкт-Петербург). 4: 51-73.
Косцюшко-Валюжинич К.К. 1904 Извлечение из отчета о раскопках в Херсонесе в 1902 г. ИАК. (Санкт-Петер-
бург). 9.
Кутайсов В.А. 1980 Четырехапсидный храм Херсонеса. Советская археология 1: 155-169.
Латышев В.В. 1907 Страдания святых священномучеников и епископов Херсонских Василия, Капитона и иных с
ними. ИАК. (Санкт-Петербург) 23: 108-112.
Лепер Р.Х. 1911 Из раскопок в Херсонесе в 1906-1909 годах. ИАК. (Санкт-Петербург). 42.
Макарова Т.И., Плетнева С.А. (ред.) 2003 Крым, Северо-Восточное Причерноморье и Закавказье в эпоху средне-
вековья. (Москва).
Ростовцев М.И. 1914 Античная декоративная живопись на юге России. (Санкт-Петербург).
Цукерман К. 1994 Епископы и гарнизон Херсонеса в IV веке. МАИЭТ. (Симферополь). 4: 545-561.
Чанева-Дечевска Н. 1999 Раннохристиянската архитектура в България IV-VI в. (София).
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***
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der underen Donau von Diokletian bis Heraklios. (Sofia): 75-86.
Deichmann F.W. 1994 Archeologia Chreścijańska. (Warszawa).
Donceel-Voûte P. 1998 Le fonctionnement des lieux de culte aux VI-VII siècles: monuments, textes et images. Acta XIII
Congressus Internationalis Archaeologiae Christianae, Split-Poreč (25.9.-1.10.1994). (Roma-Split). 2: 97-156.
Godoy C. 1998 Algunos aspectos del culto de los santos durante la Antigüedad Tardía en Hispania. Pyrenae 29: 161-170.
120
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Koch G. 1996 Early Christian Art and Architecture. (London).
Minchev A. 2003 Early Christian Reliqueries from Bulgaria (4th -6th century AD). (Varna).
Taft R. F. 1978 The Great Entrance. (Roma).
РЕЗюМЕ
Е.ю. Кленина
СВЯТыЕ МУЧЕНИКИ ХЕРСОНСКИЕ СОГЛАСНО
ПИСЬМЕННыМ И АРХЕОЛОГИЧЕСКИМ ИСТОЧНИКАМ
Одним из наиболее интересных периодов су-
ществования Херсонеса является время христиа-
низации населения в IV в. Эти события отражены
в письменном источнике VII в.
Сохранились археологические памятники,
которые можно разделить на две группы: соору-
жения, существовавшие при жизни епископов-му-
чеников, а также их могилы и мемориальные пос-
тройки, появившиеся в период увековечивания их
памяти в VI-VII вв.
Канонизация первых христианских святых
мучеников получила распространение по всей им-
перии в ранневизантийский период.
121
Херсонесский сборник. Выпуск 15
Fig. 1. The eastern part of the Roman Empire: A - the Herakleia peninsula (Crimea)
Fig. 2. The map of the Chersonesos site:
A - Western basilica; B - tetraconch church; C - cruciform church; D - Uvarov basilica
122
Кленина Е.Ю. Святые мученики херсонские...
Fig. 3. The Western basilica: A - plan of the basilica; B - plan of the apse; C - reliquary;
D - deepening for the reliquary (according to K.K. Kostzyushko-Valyuzynich)
Fig. 4. The crypt on the western necropolis: A - plan of the crypt; B - sections of the crypt
123
Херсонесский сборник. Выпуск 15
Fig. 5. The cruciform church on the eastern necropolis: A - plan of the church; B - two fragments of the
sigma-shaped mensa sacra (by K.K. Kostzyushko-Valyuzynich)
А
В
124
Кленина Е.Ю. Святые мученики херсонские...
Fig. 6. The cruciform martiryums and early Christian basilica: A - martiryum Galla Placdie (by A.L.
Yakobson); B - martiryum on the hill Tsarevets in V. Tyrnovo (by N. Angelov); C - martiryum nearby Voden
(Southern Bulgaria) (by N. Tancheva); D - basilica # 6 in Diocletianopolis (by D. Tsaanev); E - basilica on
the inland Kos (by A.L. Yakobson)
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Херсонесский сборник. Выпуск 15
Fig. 7. The plan of “Uvarov” basilica (according to K.K. Kostzyushko-Valyuzynich)
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Fig. 9. The reconstruction of the ambo of the 6th century from Novae (drawing A.B. Biernacki)
Fig. 8. The balcony of the ambo from the Western basilica (by K.K. Kostzyushko-Valyuzynich)
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Fig. 10. The Episcopal complex in Barcelona (Spain) with water source (according to C. Godoy)
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