Exergue

A new analysis of the exergue at Djémila reveals that urban Christian basilicas in Roman North Africa were part of larger 'episcopal groups,' suggesting a hierarchical structure within early Christian communities. These complexes, previously documented in major sites like Hippone and Timgad, likely extended to smaller cities as well, hinting at a more widespread architectural pattern. The study, based on archaeological findings from Djémila, proposes that further excavations could uncover more modest variants of these structures, offering deeper insights into the organization of early Christian churches across Africa.

Ben Abed-ben Kheder, A., Fixot, M., & Helfer-Lebert, L. (2023). Exergue. Sidi Jdidi III, ix–ix. https://doi.org/10.4000/books.efr.48269