American researchers discovered an imperial cult temple where paganism coexisted with Christianity
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American researchers discovered an imperial cult temple in the Italian city of Spello.
It is believed that the structure was built in the 4th century during the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great, who ruled Rome from 306 to 337 AD. He was the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, writes Arkeonews.
The researchers were led to this discovery by a rescript – a letter from Emperor Constantine to the people of Spello, in which he urged them to celebrate a religious holiday in honor of his “divine ancestors”, the Flavian family. This document, discovered in the 18th century, demonstrates a subtle approach to religious practice that allowed for the mixing of traditional and new beliefs.
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According to St. Louis University history professor Douglas Boyne, the discovery of the temple is concrete evidence of religious continuity between the Roman and early Christian periods.
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| PHOTO: Douglas Boyne |
The find includes three ancient walls believed to be part of a temple dedicated to the emperor’s cult. This temple, according to Boyne, became “the greatest evidence of the imperial cult both in Italy of the 4th century and in the late Roman Empire.”
“There is evidence from elsewhere in the Roman world that Christian rulers supported imperial cultic practices, and this is an incredible revelation“, adds Boyne.
Boyne and his team will return to Spello next summer to fully excavate the site and survey the entire temple to make even more significant discoveries.
Read also: Skeletons with gold jewelry and leather shoes were discovered in Italy
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