Cambridge Ancient Hi.. - Index of

the cities of the east 215
built up. Late Roman Antioch is very deeply buried. But Bostra 55 and
Gerasa 56 have left many late inscriptions, confirming considerable building
activity on both sites, in each case with a peak in the first half of the sixth
century. At Bostra, most of the building was military or ecclesiastical. The
walls were maintained, and many churches built, some with interesting
plans, but using spolia rather than stone cut for the purpose. Political life
shows the same trends as elsewhere. The civic magistrates are last mentioned,
in connection with building projects, in 320 and 325. 57 The council
does not figure in late inscriptions at all, but there is reference to a decurion
supervising work on the governor’s palace as late as 490. 58 Around the
same time, some building work was carried out by individuals who were
neither decurions nor officials. Goldsmiths and silversmiths are mentioned
as taking part in the administration of building. Most secular work was
ordered by the military governor, who often doubled his post with that of
civil governor. Some work was ordered by the magister militum per Orientem.
The emperor Justinian provided financial support for a great deal of building
at Bostra – for restoration of an aqueduct, for work on fortifications,
for at least one church and for an almshouse. It is significant that the bishop
is involved in the administration not only of the building of churches but
also of secular and military work: the subsidy for the fortification had been
urged on the emperor by the bishop. 59
The pattern of activities evidenced by inscriptions at Gerasa is very
similar to that at Bostra. There was a considerable amount of building in
the later fifth and early sixth century. This included work on walls, on the
orders of a military commander, but also some secular building, a bathhouse
at the expense of an agens in rebus, a portico, a small baths complex
paid for by bishop Placcus in 454/7, and, most conspicuously, no fewer
than seven churches, three of them in 529–33. 60 No doubt the church made
a major contribution to the expense of building, but individual donors, lay
and clerical, are mentioned too. So much activity, in what was not a provincial
capital, bears witness to the flourishing condition of cities in this area
well into the sixth century. 61 But the apparent cessation of building at
Bostra around the middle of the century may also be significant. 62 There is
evidence which may suggest that the cities of northern Syria were weakened
before the last and most destructive Persian war (602–29). 63 Yet the
seventh century did not see a permanent collapse of urbanism in Syria
comparable to that in Asia Minor. 64
55 Sartre (1982), (1985). 56 Kraeling (1938). 57 Sartre (1982) nos. 9111–12.
58 Ibid.no.9123. 59 Ibid. nos. 9128–36.
60 But building is recorded until 629: Zayadine (1986) 16–18, 137–62, 303–41.
61 Whittow (1990) 14–18; Kennedy (1985b).
62 The latest inscriptions: Sartre (1982) 540–1, but Bostra has not been excavated.
63 Kennedy (1985b); Conrad (1986). 64 Kennedy (1992) 196–7.
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