International congress of byzantine studies belgrade, 22 27 august 2016

Husein Haluk Çetinkaya 
Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Department of Archaeology, Istanbul, Turkey; 
[e-mail]
Latest Discoveries in the Ancient City of Ulpiana
 
Ancient city of Ulpiana was discovered in 1920’s and excavations commenced in 1953 which 
continued at intervals until the 21
st
century. The first and currently only archaeological excavation 
of Turkey in Europe began under my direction in 2012. During four years of excavations an early 
Christian baptistery and church was unearthed. Baptistery, an eight niched structure with a cross 
shaped baptismal basin made of re-used bricks in its center, was discovered first. Its diameter was 
approximately 11 meters. Immediately outside of it, burials have been found. Soon afterwards, as it 
was the norm for early Christian cities, the main church was discovered in the north of baptistery. 
Its dimensions are approximately 20 x 40 meters. This church was built more than once. The earliest 
one was built in mid-4
th
century, soon after its collapse due to an earthquake a new church, slightly 
narrower in north and south, was built at the same spot. Traces of a synthronon were found at its 
single apse. The second church shared the same fate as the first one. Instead of building on the same 
spot, which was very badly damaged, a new church was constructed approximately 150 meters 
north in the first quarter of 6
th
century, near the Northern city gates.

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551
Although there is neither neither archaeological nor epigraphical evidence indicating the 
dedication of the church, it would be safe to assume that it was dedicated to the most important 
people of the period, namely Saints Florus and Laurus who were martyred in Ulpiana.
Since the church was lavishly decorated with mosaics it could be taken as an indication of 
the importance of the church. Except for nave, mosaics have been discovered in the three aisled 
church on its aisles and narthex. Most of the mosaics contain geometrical patterns, except for two 
birds and kantharoi in southern aisle. More important is the discovery of the forms of crosses, 
both in the south and northern aisles. Dedicatory inscriptions in Latin were also discovered, totally 
22 in number. Partly surviving inscription at the narthex entrance contain the title “comes”, most 
probably the commander of the nearby military camp, which was there to protect the mines.
Upon analyzing 144 coins found during excavations, C 14 tests for skeletons, style, epigraphical, 
material analysis of the mortar and mosaics, the First church was dated to mid-4
th
and the Second 
to the first quarter of 5
th
century.
Within four years, largest structure in the city of Ulpiana, namely the church of Saints Florus 
and Laurus, was discovered. Its importance is not only due to its sheer size but also its mosaics in 
Latin which was basically indicating the borderline of two dominant languages spoken in the late 
Roman Empire.