HRONOLOGY The only area in the sector where it was thought the stratigraphy was undisturbed is S041,

where we excavated the layers corresponding to Phases 1 and 2 of the northeastern annex. The analysis
of the ceramic material discovered there unfortunately proves that part of these layers were surely
disturbed by modern excavations, as the pottery found on Phase 2’s living floor (context 41004) could
be dated to the 80 Rusu-Bolindeț, Bădescu 2003-2005. 81 Approximately 1.5 m in the case of the
stylobates of the Basilica with crypt, see Achim 2014, p. 274, fig. 24. 82 Approximately 3 m according to
Suceveanu 2007, p. 55. 83 A comparable installation was documented recently inside the intra muros
basilica at Ulmetum, see Băjenaru 2015, where the author of the publication comments only upon the
reparation of the sanctuary during the 6th century at a higher topographical level, as well as upon the
building of the synthronon. For a detailed discussion on the diffusion of this type of liturgical furnishing
in Scythia, Moesia Secunda or Thracia, see Achim 2012, p. 159, notes 80-84. 84 This type of barrier is
specific for the Aegean area, especially its northern and central parts, as proven by Sodini 1984, p.
445-448, fig. 5; this characteristic was also mentioned by Duval 1999, p. 17-18, 25-26. 85 For a
discussion regarding the development of annexes east of the aisles see Sodini 1984, p. 468, fig. 17. The
same author analyses the case of the liturgical annexes of the four basilicas in Byllis, Albania, and makes
valuable references regarding the use of these areas, starting from the liturgical furnishings discovered
during excavations – Sodini 2004, p. 435-439. More recently, the work of A. Mailis resumes the problem
of the annexes in the plans of Christian churches in Greece, confirming the development of such areas
especially at the level of the narthex and on the sides – an aspect also noticed by J.-P. Sodini –, and
much less east of the aisles, and discusses the issues of their function (Mailis 2011, especially p. 5-16).
Even so, his catalogue offers several examples of basilicas with annexes located east of the aisles:
basilica A of Dion (Mailis 2011, Mac. 14, p. 46, fig. 25); Agora basilica of Thassos (Mailis 2011, Mac. 35, p.
57-58, fig. 48); basilica of Stamata, Achaia (Mailis 2011, Ach. 8, p. 85, fig. 72); basilica of Brauron, Achaia
(Mailis 2011, Ach. 11, p. 86-87, fig. 75); and basilica of Molaoi, Achaia (Mailis 2011, Ach. 34, p. 97-98, fig.
96).47 Histria. New research on the Early Christian basilicas in the southern part of the acropolis 149
2nd-4th century AD (fig. 60)86, while the marble tables87 and the mortarium88 are more characteristic
for the production of the 5th and 6th centuries AD. This disturbance must have been caused by an
excavation that could be the one we see in the lower left part of an archive image (fig. 9). Based on
stratigraphic observations, as well as on analogies with the construction phases in other parts of the city,
we consider that Basilica no. 1 was built probably during the reign of Anastasius (491-517), when the
LRDW was also repaired and Istros received its episcopal basilica89 (fig. 61). This is when street d
received its first stone pavement. Fig. 60. Early Roman pottery discovered in context 41004 (I. Iliescu).
The enlargement of the place of worship by extending the church eastwards – which resulted in the
creation of Basilica no. 2 – could be dated to the first half of the 6th century AD (fig. 61), when at least
three other intra and extra urbem churches were active. The masonry of the apse indicates three main
functioning moments for Basilica no. 2, which corresponds to the three phases of the northeastern
annex. It is possible that the destruction of the first phase was caused by the earthquake in AD 54390,
while the second one was 86 The material collected during the excavations of the last decades is
extremely heterogeneous and only a small part of it was dated to the Late Roman period. Among all the
repertoire of shapes, we distinguish fragments of drinking vessels from the Hellenistic period; bowls of
Suceveanu VI type, dated to the 2nd-3rd centuries AD – see Suceveanu 2000, p. 30-31, pl. 7/ 20-22; bowl
of Suceveanu 14 type, see Suceveanu 2000, p. 55, pl. 18/9-10. 87 Several fragments of rectangular
tables are mentioned by Duval 1980, 338, note 67 in the depots of the museums of Constanța and
Histria. For an ample discussion on the rectangular tables with a central concave groove, delimited by
two incised parallel lines which end in concave crescents see Sodini, Kolokotsas 1984, p. 21-24, in the
analysis of the eucharistic table of the Southern Basilica in Aliki. The authors stress that this type of
furnishings (with a central groove ending in concave crescents) is common in the entire Eastern
Mediterranean area, from Africa to Dalmatia, with several examples known in Greece. Several such
items are mentioned at Marusinac, in Dalmatia – see comments and catalogue by Duval, Chevalier 1994,
p. 158-159, 162-166, nos. VII.g.6-17 and at Xanthos – see Sodini 1999, p. 41-42, note 7, fig. 1. 88 See the
discussion by Sodini, Kolokotsas 1984, p. 207, note 151, concerning the presence of these coupelles in
different contexts, domestic as well as liturgical, in various regions of the Roman world. 89 Suceveanu
2007, p. 19-30. 90 As suggested by Monica Mărgineanu-Cârstoiu for Argamum in Mărgineanu-Cârstoiu,
Apostol 2017, p. 93, note 103. Archaeo-seismological investigations undertaken at the end of the last
decade on the western Black Sea shore indicate a seismic activity and destructions dated to AD 543 in
the area of the temple of Mother of Gods in Balčik, Bulgaria – Ranguelov 2011, especially p. 396-402, fig.
9-10. 1 2 3 4 5150 Mircea Victor Angelescu, Valentin Bottez, Irina Achim 48Fig. 61. Construction of
Basilica no. 2 as a lengthening of Basilica no. 1 (V. Bottez).49 Histria. New research on the Early Christian
basilicas in the southern part of the acropolis 151 probably destroyed by one of the devastating raids in
the second half of the 6th century AD, such as the Kutrigur raid in AD 55991. As in Istros we have no
record of new buildings constructed during the last quarter of the 6th century AD, we consider that
Phase 3 of the northeastern annex must have been built before that. Acknowledgements The authors
would like to kindly thank Ioana Grigore-Paraschiv for the beautiful drawings of the marble assemblage
discovered in Phase 2 of the northeastern annex, as well as Iulia-Alexandra Iliescu, for processing the
drawings. We would also like to thank Alexandru Bădescu (National History Museum of Romania) for the
preliminary analysis of the pottery discovered in the same annex room. Special thanks to Adriana
Panaite and Anca Timofan for their contribution to this excavation. Finally, many thanks to our hard-
working (then) students, Alexandra Neagu, Silvia Raluca Georgescu, Elena Raicu, Sidonia Obreja, Alban
Guinut, Iulian Ganciu and Alexandra Bivolaru, for their drawings and architectural sections. Final thanks
to Kate Mower and Oana Amaricăi for proofreading our English text.