ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors explore the immediate surroundings of an Early Christian basilica (hereafter the “South Basilica”) at the archaeological site of Polis Chrysochous (Ancient Arsinoe), in Cyprus. They consider how a religious structure, together with the people who built and inhabited it, may have influenced the formation and spatial organization of one particular area within this small and remote city on the island. The tetrapylon at Arsinoe may have been intended to emphasize this intersection and to offer a sense of passage through the crossroads along the northern edge of the city while also providing some shelter. The architecture of the South Basilica at Arsinoe demonstrates parallels with another church in Cyprus, the so-called Acropolis Basilica at Amathus. Similar dimensions and proportions, as well as a similar southern porch and courtyard hint that this church may have also stood as a stop on the westward route of pilgrims across the island.
