Krinides. Philippi.
Krinides. Philippi.
MACEDONIA
105
40. Philippoi, basilica B, ground plan (Φίλιπποι, βασιλική Β’, κάτοψη)
sculpted decoration. After its destruction and abandonment,
a Byzantine cemetery developed above the narthex. South
of the agora, next to the commercial street, stands Basilica
B (mid-6th c.), domed, three-aisled with narthex. After its de-
struction, the narthex was transformed into a church, place of
origin of the Proto-Bulgarian inscriptions of the first half of the
9th c. The octagon complex was originally the private chapel
of Bishop Porphyrios (first half of the 4th c.) and features a
mosaic floor. The chapel was originally occupied by a free
octagon (circa 400), then a cross-in-square with narthex and
atrium in the W, and N of the narthex a three-aisled portico
with access from the Via Egnatia. North of the octagon were
a phiale, a baptistery, and a balaneion founded under Augus-
tus, as well as a guesthouse for pilgrims, storehouses, and a
bishop’s palace, which was destroyed and abandoned after
the early 7th c. West of the octagon, Late Roman building
insulae have been excavated, while behind the scena of the
theatre lie makeshift constructions of the 6th-7th c. A Christian
cemetery has been detected within the city walls; in the vicin-
ity of the eastern cemetery is a three-aisled basilica (second
half of the 4th c.) with 6th c. alterations (transept and mosaic
floor), next to which a second basilica has been excavated.
