The history of Christianity in Jerash between the fourth and seventh centuries AD can be read through its archaeology. Its development from simple, recycled buildings to byzantine influenced structures shows the development not only of architectural style but the organisation of the Christian religion.
Fourth to Fifth Century AD-Early Christian Churches in Jerash
In the fourth century, the newly legitimate Christian religion in Jerash established itself by creating associations with paganism. This involved locating churches over or next to prominent pagan sites. This did not mean turning old temples into churches but building afresh, adopting a public form of Roman architecture, the basilica as the basis for of new church buildings.
The cathedral complex is an example of this. Situated in the centre of Jerash, it occupied the site of the old sanctuary of Dionysus and was right next door to the chief pagan sanctuary of Jerash, the temple of Artemis. Wharton believes that the new religion was legitimizing itself by associating itself with the old. At the same time, the new architecture showed the difference between the old and new religions.
Pagan temple complexes drew the viewer into them. The new cathedral cautiously advertised its religious leanings through exterior shrines but reserved itself for the initiated. Its doorway did not face the entrance to the cathedral complex but was instead tucked away on the other side. Inside, space was controlled. The entrance passage was divided into two, possibly to separate the sexes whilst recycled Corinthian columns divided the nave and isles.
By the fifth century, the architecture of the cathedral complex had moved on. The original basilica was joined by the church of St Theodore in the 490s AD. This church displayed many more byzantine elements as Jerash became influenced more by the fashions of the eastern Roman Empire, than the classical past. Arches now appear over the columns and round headed windows appear in the upper walls. Crucially, this period sees the appearance of specific side chapels, such as the baptistery in the church’s apse, rather than the anonymous side rooms of the cathedral.
The Sixth Century AD-The Development of the Byzantine Church
The consolidation of Christianity saw a rapid building programme of churches in the sixth century. Christianity was gaining confidence; there was no need to continue associating with old pagan sites so churches appeared all over the city. The influence of the Byzantine imperial court on Christianity was also more apparent. The new churches included more side isles, chapels and baptisteries and lavish interior decor such as mosaics. This decor celebrated not only the Christian religion but the imperial patrons who financed many of the churches.
The conjoined churches of St Cosmas and Damian, St John the Baptist and St Georges typify Jerash’s sixth century churches. United by a single atrium, the church of St georges’s is largely ruined but its companions survive sufficiently to give a picture of Byzantine churches in the city.
The church of St Cosmas and Damian, co patron saints of physicians along with St Luke, shows how the basilica style continued to develop. The churches naves and aisles are no longer separated by pillars but solid stone piers. But the key feature is its mosaic floor, the best preserved in Jerash. Its pattern consisted of plain bordered geometric motifs in the side aisles with a more elaborate arrangement in the nave area of motifs, animals and plants. Near to the chancel screen are mosaic portraits of the church’s patrons, the eastern roman emperor Theodore and his wife Georgia.
The design of St John the Baptist was unique in Jerash and rare elsewhere. In fact, the church was probably based on the cathedral of Bosra in Syria. St John’s church is not a basilica like either of its neighbours but a circular design set in a square, with a horse show shaped exedra in each corner.
Its interior decor was impressive. The roof of St John’s roof was domed over the exedras and eastern apse. These domes were covered in glass mosaics which would have reflected the light from a lantern in the centre of the church, suspended from an arrangement of four Corinthian columns. Parts of its mosaic floor remain, showing important Christian sites in the eastern Roman Empire.
The Seventh Century AD-An Orthodox Church in Jerash?
Bishop Genesius’s church was built in 611AD. It is the only type of its kind in Jerash and shows the beginnings of the eastern orthodox Christian architecture of today.
Whilst the basic form of the church is still a basilica, there are significant developments not found in earlier churches in Jerash. The nave and aisles were still divided by colonnades but unlike in earlier churches, these lines of pillars stopped before they reached the chancel.
Many features are similar to later Greek orthodox architecture. Arches led off into north and south chapels which were screened off from the main church. This screen ran in line with the chancel. This meant that the chancel was now segregated from the rest of the church, providing a clear demarcation line between the congregation and the clergy.
This separation was further emphasised by the arrangement of the chancel where the clergy sat in two rows of seats on either side of a flight of stairs leading up to the bishop’s chair, which was just behind the alter. This was a further unique feature in Jerash and one that showed how elaborate and hierarchical Christianity had become just before the city was lost to the Persians.
Sources
Browning, I, 1982. Jerash and the Decapolis.Chatto & Windus: London
Wharton, A,J, 1995. Refiguring the post Classical City-Duras Europos,Jerash,Jerusalem and Ravenna. Cambridge University Press.
Natasha Sheldon - A writer since 2000, Natasha Sheldon holds a BA Hons in ancient history and archaeology and MA in ancient history and historiography.
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