Susah Things to Do

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While the ancient Greek port of Apollonia has had much of its structures disappear from landslides, like the great earthquake of 365, it remains a very attractive place, although not that impressive as Leptis Magna, Sabratha and Cyrene itself.

In its heyday, the Eastern Church was the biggest in all of Cyrenaica. Many of the original marble columns still stand - the cipolin marble was imported from the Greek island of Paros. The granite used in the nave was transported from Egypt, most probably Aswan.

On the hillside leading down to the water's edge, you can find the Customs House. If you walk down onto the beach itself, you can see niches and shelves cut into the rock - these were used for the storage of goods waiting to be shipped out or just having arrived by boat. Probably a bit like our Bonded Warehouses.

This strange looking building is in fact the quarry where the Romans would have obtained their stones for the construction of the city from.

After the earthquake of AD 365, the lighthouse was moved atop this rock.

The symbol of the P with a cross below, now used to represent Christianity, was once the symbol of Justinian.

His wife was a Christian, and while he tolerated her religion, he was happy to remain a pagan, depite his wife's gentle persuasions. One night he was told in a dream to place the symbol on his battle shield and that it would bring him luck for the crusade. Being so impressed that they they won what seemed like an impossible battle, he converted to Christianity and adopted the symbol.

This private palace was built for the first governor of Aploonia, Ecobelius, who came from Lebanon. He brought Theodora with him (Justinian's wife) to live with him.

The palace has 83 rooms and is the biggest palace in Cyrenia. There were libraries, waiting rooms, dinig rooms, a private chapel and a wing for the servants.

Here by the altar you can see the symbol of the cross cut into the column. If you think it bears a resembleance to the Maltese Cross, you are not wrong. This was the cross that was commonly used in the Justinian time. When the eight bishops met in Malta, they sat around trying to work out the kind of cross to use as their symbol. Their decision fell on the Justinian cross.

Below the cross you can see a small round hole - this is where the curtain in front of the altar was attached.

The Western church ahs Roman pillars which were later utilized by the Byzantines in later constructions. The church would have been covered with a wooden roof and have had a marble floor. You can still see some fragments of mosaics on the floor in the baptistry in the north-east corner.