Fragmented Monuments

Forum and Basilica complex

Dated to the 2nd century C.E., the Roman apsed Basilica was excavated during by the Harvard Expedition in 1908. The Joint Expedition in 1931 reappraised the previous work, and estimated that the large esplanade, still visible as an open, unbuilt space, was originally enclosed by a Corinthian colonnade. Currently only the floor of the Basilica, its columns and one row of columns belonging to the Forum porch are visible. The area, originally used by the people of Sebastia as threshing ground, was expropriated by the British Mandate Authorities in 1931 and declared an archaeological area; after the Israeli occupation in 1967, this status was exploited to declare the archaeological area as Israeli National Park. The area is currently used as parking lot, with camel stationing for the entertainment of tourists. The exposed surface of the floors of the Basilica have suffered a progressive loss of decorative stonework and mosaic.

the Stadium

Never fully buried, it was partially excavated by the Joint Expedition (1931-1935). Originally built around the turn of the Common Era, was substantially rebuilt in the 3rd century C.E. Some of the columns of its inner perimeter are still visible, either standing or lying.

Colonnaded street

Originally the Decumanus Maximus (the East-West main road in Roman cities) of 2nd century C.E. Sebastia. It is currently preserved as a row of columns, some of which are missing. The paving of the road, the single-storey apsed rooms on the north side and the double-storey porch to the south are equally not preserved.

west gate

Located at the Western end of the Colonnaded street. Based on its architectural style, the original plan with two rounded bastions flanking the gateway is dated to the turn of the Common Era, but it was massively reinforced and restored in the 2nd century C.E. Its preservation state is fragmentary, and it is currently the entry point through which settlers from across the valley access the archaeological area.

temple of kore

Excavated by the Joint Expedition (1931-1935). The structure is dated to the 3rd century C.E., but much of the building material used for its foundation is re-used. Based on the analysis of stone type, decorative style and inscriptions, the excavators believe that this material came from other pre-existing buildings in the same area, dedicated to the cult of Kore and to that of Isis and Serapis. The temple is currently re-buried under an olive orchard called Karm el-Toteh; this area is very frequented by looters at night-time.

Byzantine Church of the Invention of the Head of St. John the Baptist.

The remains were unearthed in 1932, during the excavations of the Joint Expedition. The archaeologists dated the earliest phases to the 5th or 6th century C.E.; after various reconstructions, the church was abandoned in the 15th century. In the north-eastern corner stands a vaulted subterranean crypt. The greater part of the structure, except for the ceilings, is currently visible, including three granite columns that were originally part of the theatre. The key to the crypt is kept by the only Christian family living in Sebastia, who opens it only for selected groups of visitors to protect it from looters and settlers.

Acropolis

Excavated by the Harvard Expedition of 1908 and the Joint Expedition of 1931-1935. The stratification exposed is the entangled superposition of four main building periods: 11th and 10th century B.C.E rock-cut cisterns; a fortified palace-like structure dated to the 9th century B.C.E.; a platform with a small temple dedicated to Augustus dated to the turn of the Common Era, and a much more imposing reconstruction of the same temple dated to the 2nd century C.E. The excavations in the earlier strata yielded a large group of ivories, some of which have been displaced to the Rockefeller Museum of East Jerusalem and then to the Israel Museum in West Jerusalem, others are instead in London.

Theatre

First explored with sounding trenches by the Joint Expedition of 1931-1935, the theatre was excavated by the Jordanian expedition of 1965-1967. The archaeologists dated the theatre to the beginning of the 3rd century C.E. The area, especially the non-excavated edges, undergoes minor but constant changes: there are signs of mechanical excavators and earth movement. The settlers, on their guided visit to the site, use the area as stage to perform dramatized versions of the Biblical narrative over Sebastia.