Ilici

The archaeological and metrological study on the Early Christian basilica of Ilici and on its polychrome mosaic is based on the data obtained in 1905 by the discoverers Eugène Albertini and Pere Ibarra (including some unpublished data of the latter) and on the data obtained by the new excavations undertaken by Alejandro Ramos from 1948 to 1955 up to the maps and photographs of 1971 made by Helmut Schlunk and Theodor Hauschild from the German Archaeological Institute. They enable us to confirm the module scheme, which is based on the pertica decempeda. The study also allows us to introduce one volumetric restitution hypothesis which differs from that actually presented to the public in many different matters.
We also argue for dating the basilica in the second half of the 4th century A.D., according to parallel studies on the building and on its contextualization. In addition, we are bringing forward some ideas on the building’s later evolution up to its possible destruction in the 8th century A.D.

During the 7th century, different councils in Toledo mention the names of some bishops of Ilici who were at the same time also bishops of another episcopal see, Eio/Elo, created within the conflict between the Byzantines and Visigoths. This paper accepts the location of that see in El Tolmo de Minateda (Hellín, Albacete, Spain), and therefore explains the duality Ilici+Eio as a result of the bishopric in Ilici being more antique and having a larger tradition. There is also the possible existence of a bishop John in the early 6th century, contemporary to Pope Hormisdas. The proposed identification Eio = El Tolmo de Minateda suggests that Ilici could have had a larger territory in Late Antiquity.

By analyzing Pere Ibarra and Alejandro Ramos’ unpublished documents, and reviewing the limited information published on the subject, this work asserts that there were at least five necropoleis within a 1500 m radius of the Colonia Iulia Ilici Augusta in Late Antiquity. Three were located on the same north-south road, probably the via Augusta, wich was the cardo maximus of Ilici’s centuriation, and two cemeteries were within the city walls, changing the previous layout of the city and the colony’s funerary landscape.

In the Roman period Colonia Iulia Ilici Augusta, better known as Ilici, had several burial areas. So far we identify six necropolis on it; four of them outside-walls in the peri-urban area of Ilici, and another two intramuros, which modified the pre-existing urbanism in Late Antiquity. In the 1st century, necropolis were structured along the roads, as it was traditional in the Roman world; the two northern ones with cremation urns, following the Via Augusta towards Ilici, and the eastern one going parallel the current path "camí del Borrocat" with many inhumations that seem to follow italic rituals. From the 4th century, in the context of the progressive Christianisation of the urban topography, new burial areas appeared in Ilici, a little one to the south of the city, and two important necropolis inside the walls breaking the Roman tradition of separation between the world of the living and the dead.

In this article we will discuss the basilica-synagogue of Ilici discovered in 1905, which has appeared in many publications on Spanish paleochristianity since then. We will analyse its discovery and excavation, the construction characteristics and the main finds that have been made. We also will talk about the Greek polychrome mosaic inscriptions, present the new discoveries relating to the ad sanctos necropolis next to the basilica, and add our comments to the perennial debate about the Jewish or Christian character of the building. Finally we will question the most recent -and in our opinion excessively early- foundation date, and defend an alternative one, suggested long ago.

En este trabajo analizamos la categoría jurídica de la tierra en Hispania romana a partir de las referencias del derecho. Estudiamos la existencia de diferentes áreas socioeconómicas donde las formas de propiedad de la tierra son diversas. Utilizamos las inscripciones catastrales como herramientas para analizar la implantación de estatutos jurídicos
diferentes.
This paper analyses the legal status of land in Román Hispania on the basis of legal references. We study the existence of different socioeconomic áreas with different forms of ownership of the land. Land registry inscriptions are used asa toolforanalysing the establishment of different juridical statutes.

In August 1856, during agricultural labours on a piece of land north of l'Alcúdia (Elche, Alicante) the remains of a Roman hypogeum were discovered. The ashlars caught the attention of the landowner and were extracted for selling them, while the authorities stood idly by. Nothing remains today of that sepulchral monument except for Aureliano Ibarra's description and drawings, frequently cited by subsequent researchers. This paper presents an overview and also locates the site and proposes a chronology for it.

Fruit de la creació de la Fundació L'Alcúdia de la UA s’ha produït un canvi radical en la imatge del jaciment. Noves excavacions i la relectura de la documentació generada per les antigues han permès constatar fases tardanes a tots els sectors, i comencem a entendre millor els processos de transformació i conformació de l’Ilici tardoromana. El segle IV veié una veritable revitalització i prosperitat que crida l’atenció en el panorama regional, mentre que durant la següent centúria el model clàssic es col·lapsà amb una contracció urbana només superada amb la implantació el segle VI del nou model urbà tardà.

Excavations in the archaeological site of l’Alcúdia (Elche, Alicante) discovered in 1775 several Roman constructions, one of them apparently an «Amphiteatro». The notice was first published in the Gazeta de Madrid in 1776 and cited by Alejandro Ramos by the midtwentieth century, and recently the idea of an amphitheatre in Ilici has been recuperated. However the remains appear to be a currently visible ellipsoidal structure west of l’Alcúdia, but hardly a Roman spectacle building.

In 1861-1862 Aureliano Ibarra discovered the mosaics of a Roman villa just 1.2 km from Ilici. He recorded all the information he could, and tried to protect what remained, but the passivity of the administration did not allow it. This paper continues his research by applying the knowledge we now already have about the emergence and evolution of Roman villae, in order to contextualize the site of Algorós in Late Roman Ilici and its surroundings.

Es compila ací per primera vegada la informació de què disposem per a l’estudi de la Colonia Iulia Ilici Augusta (l’Alcúdia d’Elx) a l’antiguitat tardana, una fase de la ciutat poc coneguda. Amb una doble introducció dedicada a la contextualització geogràfica del jaciment i a l’aproximació a la història de la investigació sobre Ilici, el treball es divideix en dues parts: la base empírica amb què compta la investigació actual i l’estat de la qüestió.
Primerament es presenta la informació proporcionada per les fonts documentals i per les fonts materials, amb una dedicació especial per l’hàbitat, la basílica i les necròpolis, i un apartat dedicat al territorium i el Portus Ilicitanus. En una segona part, i amb una constant inserció de cites dels principals autors, se’n realitza l’anàlisi historiogràfica i, alhora, es presenta un estat actual de la qüestió articulat diacrònicament: L’Ilici tardoromana i el problema de les invasions, l’autonomia d’una Ilici abandonada per Roma, l’època bizantina de retorn al domini imperial, l’Ilici visigoda del segle VII i el problema de les seus episcopals i, finalment, l’arribada del Islam.
Aquest treball intenta establir una primera base que facilite futures investigacions sobre l’evolució de la ciutat d’Ilici al llarg de l’antiguitat tardana.

Al jaciment de l’Alcúdia (Elx, Alacant), nucli de l’antiga Colonia Iulia Ilici Augusta, en 1905 es descobrí una petita aula rectangular pavimentada per un mosaic policrom amb tres inscripcions gregues fragmentàries i un absis a l’est. La historiografia la coneix com la "sinagoga-basílica d’Elx” perquè, a partir d’una interpretació jueva de les inscripcions, durant molts anys se l’ha considerada una sinagoga convertida en basílica. Tanmateix, els últims estudis epigràfics i, especialment, el fet que l’absis sembla coetani del mosaic reforcen la interpretació cristiana d’un edifici que arqueològicament coneixem molt poc, i que actualment s’amaga sota una matussera reconstrucció idealitzada.

Tant maintenant qu’à l’époque romaine, le territoire du sud-est de l’Espagne a été très fortement marqué par de grandes étendues agricoles divisées en champs cultivés. Certaines régions paraissent avoir gardé des tracés presque identiques pendant près de deux mille ans.