Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;R*L, post: 3188751, member: 96878&quot;]To add my cynical 2 cents, while the author of the article linked to in the OP (and some other Christain publications I came across) seem to be trying to suggest that the basilica hosted the First Council of Nicaea, the idea that the basilica was the specific building where the Council was held appears to be wishful thinking and not to be a belief held by the archeologist concerned himself.</p><p><br /></p><p>While in some early articles after the announcement of the find the lead archaeologist gives a view that the basilica was perhaps built as early as 313 AD (but probably after the Council of Nicaea in 325), that date seems to have been pushed forward, and in several more recent articles the same archeologist is quoted saying it was likely built after 390 AD eg as in this September 2018 article on <a href="https://www.livescience.com/63498-ancient-church-hidden-in-turkey-lake.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.livescience.com/63498-ancient-church-hidden-in-turkey-lake.html" rel="nofollow">Live Science</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>Interestingly, it&#039;s thought to be built on top of an older temple dedicated to Apollo.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>In my internet sleuthing I couldn&#039;t see anything in English language sources that might cast light on the state of local knowledge before the ruins were &quot;discovered&quot; by the archeological community but apparently it has been excavated somewhat and the waters are not always as clear as they are in the photos in the OP article so it might not have been as obvious as it looks now before they started working on it - although if it was visible from the air before excavation I&#039;d have to agree it seems more likely than not that the locals would have been aware of it [here&#039;s a <a href="https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/11/underwater-fortress-urartu-lake-van-turkey-archaeology-video-spd/" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/11/underwater-fortress-urartu-lake-van-turkey-archaeology-video-spd/" rel="nofollow">link </a>to a story about another fascinating underwater site in Turkey, recently &quot;discovered&quot; by archaeologists but known to locals].</p><p><br /></p><p>To continue the cynical trend (#grinch), it seems the current media attention around the ruins is because they are closer to starting work on a museum that has been planned for a while (the find itself certainly is not new - <a href="https://www.archaeology.org/issues/162-features/top10/2789-turkey-submerged-byzantine-basilica" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.archaeology.org/issues/162-features/top10/2789-turkey-submerged-byzantine-basilica" rel="nofollow">it was publically announced in January 2014</a>). On a positive note - <a href="http://evangelicalfocus.com/culture/3825/Turkey_will_build_underwater_museum_around_temple_that_could_have_hosted_the_Nicaea_Council_" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://evangelicalfocus.com/culture/3825/Turkey_will_build_underwater_museum_around_temple_that_could_have_hosted_the_Nicaea_Council_" rel="nofollow">it sounds like the planned museum might be pretty cool</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>As an added bonus, (to keep things coin-related and to make up for my cynicism), I offer you a humble eastern coin of poor old Valentinian II, who was (at least technically, if not practically) the boss around the time it&#039;s currently thought the basilica was built <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie1" alt=":)" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]822775[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Valentinian II AE3. DN VALENTINIANVS PF AVG, rosette diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right / CONCORDIA AVGGG, Roma enthroned facing, helmeted and cuirassed, head left, holding globe and long spear, Θ in left field, Φ above K right. Mintmark ANTB. RIC IX Antioch 45b[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in