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Early Christian Basilica Model |
History - RomanAfter the Nemean Games had been moved to Argos in ca. 271 B.C., the Nemean valley shows little trace of human activity other than an occasional coin. When Pausanias (2.15.2) visited the site about 400 years later, it was already a ruin: "the roof [of the temple] had collapsed and the cult statue no longer remained." 
Silver coin of the Emperor Trajan Early Christian HistoryCenturies after its athletic sanctuary had been abandoned, the site of Nemea saw renewed activity of a different sort. In the 5th century after Christ, a Christian agricultural settlement grew up amidst the crumbling remains of the Hellenistic-era buildings. For nearly a century and a half, the area's new inhabitants prospered, farming the valley floor in relative seclusion from the outside world. Then, toward the end of the 6th century, the population dwindled and finally disappeared altogether. Judging from the numismatic evidence, this renewed human activity perhaps began in the form of a monastic community in the area of the former Hellenistic Stadium. The remains of a partially excavated Christian Basilica of moderate size atop Stadium Hill may represents this community. Soon however the settlement grew, expanding into the area of the ancient sanctuary and the surrounding valley. The majority of the reclaimed land was utilized for farming, as is indicated by the countless irrigation trenches uncovered in excavations throughout the site. Quarrying blocks from the Temple of Zeus and perhaps even toppling parts of the structure for construction materials, these Christian settlers erected a three-aisle Basilica of impressive size over the ruins of the Hellenistic Xenon. Little else survives from this period of occupation to give a more complete picture of the daily life of this community. The notably impoverished state of the burials of the 5th and 6th centuries at Nemea provides a likely explanation. The Christian community at Nemea was simply too poor to leave much material of a permanent nature. The only other architectural features of this period are a few poorly constructed buildings near the Basilica which may represent the domestic quarters of those who served the religious needs of the community. Near the middle of the 6th century after Christ, the size of the Christian community began to shrink. The cause of this decrease in activity may have been a drought suffered throughout the Peloponnesos at this time. An even more dramatic and violent end awaited those few who remained. All domestic structures dated to this era of occupation experienced a complete destruction in the 580's A.D. The lack of human remains within these structures as well as the discovery of coin hoards in the sanctuary and stadium tunnel entrance indicate that the settlers of this area had some warning of their impending destruction and may have fled the area. The most likely candidate for this complete destruction is the Slavic invasions of A.D. 585, an event which appears in the archaeological records of many other sites in Greece.
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This web site was designed and developed by Susannah L. Van Horn; please direct comments and inquiries to: nemeaucb@berkeley.edu