Discovery of a Basilica sheds light on Evia’s early Byzantine era

In antiquity, Oreoi was a prominent city with strong fortifications, located on the site of today’s Oreoi and Istiea on the island of Evia. Little is known about Oreoi in Byzantine times, except that it served as a bishop’s seat and was one of Evia’s five dioceses in the 6th century. Like the others, it fell under the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Metropolis of Corinth.

This summer, excavations for a sewage system in Oreoi, in the greater Istiea area, uncovered a section of an early Byzantine basilica dating to the 6th century.

The excavation revealed the basilica’s foundation walls, including an apse and a brick-lined floor. The walls were built from rough stones, roof tiles, and clay, coated with a thin layer of plaster. At the corners of the apse, archaeologists found two large square column supports, with stairs located on their inner sides.

Artifacts recovered from the ruins included two iron crosses and a bronze lamp ring, offering insight into the religious practices of the time.

This basilica lies within the perimeter of an older public structure, possibly an even earlier basilica. The discovery is significant, as few church-related artifacts and remains from this period have been found in the region, adding valuable information about the area’s religious history.