THELEPTE

THELEPTE. — Ancient town of Byzacena, southeast of Tebessa in North Africa, also called Feriana and Medinet-el-Kedima.

The Hieronymian Martyrology on VII, VI, and V Kal. Feb. mentions a group of martyrs who may have been the comites of that Ianuarius mentioned in a mosaic inscription discovered in one of the basilicas described below. St. Fulgenzio (v.) of Ruspe was born at T. The bishop Giuliano (at T.) is mentioned in the sententiae episcoporum no. 57 of the Council of Carthage of 156; at the Conference of Carthage in 411 the bishop Donaziano was present, and he also took part in the Council of Carthage of 416; in 484 a Frumenzio was bishop; in 641 the bishop Stefano is known; the bishopric still existed at the beginning of the eighth century (cf. H. Gelzer, Ungedruckte... Bistumnerzeichnisse der orient. Kirche, in Byzant. Zeitschr., 2 [1893], p. 26); from the list of Leone il Saggio it may be inferred that the see still existed at the beginning of the ninth century. In 418 a council was held « in ecclesia Apostolorum », certainly dedicated to the apostles Peter and Paul, which S. Gsell identified, with some probability, as this basilica. It is known that Carthage had a basilica dedicated to the two apostles (S. Agostino, Sermo., 15), as did Sicca Veneria, today el Kef (P. Gauckler, in Bulletin archéologique des travaux historiques, 18 [1897], pp. 413, nos. 147–48).

At the Second International Congress of Christian Archaeology, S. Gsell presented a study of seven Christian basilicas in ancient Feriana. The first, situated at the eastern extremity of the city, was 51.80 m long and 25 m wide; it was divided into five naves. The central one had rectangular supports consisting of three square pillars with a column attached, set on Attic bases and bearing Corinthian capitals, while the minor naves were separated by columns with impost blocks. The apse opened onto the central nave by means of two half-columns and two columns whose shafts were decorated like the vine columns of S. Pietro, as documented by a fragment; all must have supported an architrave and a wooden pergula. The façade had three doors opening onto a large atrium.

The second basilica, southwest of the preceding one, had a rectangular plan measuring 28 × 12.80 m, with ashlar walls and an apse contained within the rectangle, communicating through two doors with the two lateral rooms.

The third basilica stood in the center of the city, with a grand quadrangular atrium 20 m on each side. The interior was approximately 40 m long, with paired supports consisting of two columns that divided it into three naves; the bases of the columns and fragments of the Corinthian capitals that supported the arches were still in place. The presbytery was raised, with an internal apse whose triumphal arch was supported by two large columns on Corinthian bases and with impost blocks. By means of a door, the apse communicated on the right with the diaconicon, not with the chapel at the end of the minor nave on the left. Toward the atrium, a semicircular counter-apse was found, with a mosaic pavement and fittings for grilles; to its east, several tombs and a fragment of a Byzantine inscription on brick were found, in which one read: « iscripsi ind(ic)ione sept(ima) » [CIL, VIII, 11268]. The building was destroyed by a fire that left many traces.

The fourth basilica was in the northern part of the city; it was 45 m long and 18.65 m wide. It was preceded by a portico in which sarcophagi were found. The interior was divided into five naves by two colonnades for the minor naves and by pillars for the central one. The apse was within the rectangle and was supported at its opening by columns; immediately after the triumphal arch, it communicated through two openings with two rectangular lateral rooms. West of the Byzantine citadel, a fifth basilica measuring 21 × 11.60 m was found. It was preceded by a vestibule with two entrances, at the far end of which three doors, separated by columns, opened. The site of the presbytery, separated by grilles, was identified; the apse, contained within the rectangle, opened onto II. The apse was paved with mosaic; on the right there was a passage to the apsidal diaconicon, while the left minor nave led into a rectangular chapel. Northeast of the city, the ruins of the sixth basilica were found. It measured 29 × 10.90 m, with an apse inscribed within the rectangle; it was divided into three naves by columns; the apse did not communicate with the two lateral rooms. Fragments of sarcophagi attested to its cemetery use.

Southwest of the city, in the midst of a Christian cemetery, the seventh basilica was identified. It measured 26 × 11 m, with a central nave divided by two rows of six columns on Attic bases and with Corinthian capitals, and paved with slabs. The apse was constructed with terracotta tubes in the vault and had a mosaic pavement with interlacing designs and the following two inscriptions: « (I)anuari et comitum / (S)anctis devotus. / (F)la(vius) An(nius) Pusinus / (c)um suis votum / (c)onplevit. (P)el(iciter?) ». In addition, one could read: « Exaudi, Deus, orationem meam auribus percipe verba (per verba) oria mei santorumque ». Apart from the final word, the rest is taken from Psalm 53:4. G. B. De Rossi, commenting on this inscription, held that it followed the one belonging to Ianuarius (La capsella argentea africana, Roma 1888, pp. 17–18, no. 8).

Around the building, many tombs were excavated in the rock. S. Gsell also identified four chapels. The first, built of ashlar, had a portico from which three doors led into a rectangular space divided into three naves by pillars with composite-order capitals, enclosed presbytery, and an apse inscribed within the rectangle. S. Gsell also recognized the remains of a ciborium placed above the altar and a stone disk bearing the letters EIVS, perhaps « (de donis Dei et Christi) eius ». All these buildings, however, suffered extensive damage during the construction of the railway line from Gafsa to Sousse and are therefore unrecognizable today.