Neue Überlegungen zum Standort der oktogonalen Kirche in Antiocheia am Orontes

Abstract This article reconsiders the location of Constantine’s octagonal cathedral in Antioch, suggesting that it stood not on the island, as maintained by the communis opinio , but rather on or near the eastern section of the city’s main agora (also known as the „Forum of Valens”). The argument is based on a re-evaluation of literary testimonies and topographical indicators that have received limited attention in previous scholarship. The study emphasizes the spatial relationship between the cathedral, the agora, the episcopal residence, and the administrative core of the late antique city. Particular attention is given to the architectural symbolism of the building’s golden roof and its possible interaction with local light conditions shaped by the topography of the Parmenius gorge and surrounding elevations. In light of these findings, the article also reopens the question of the building’s later fate. While no direct evidence survives, certain textual indications suggest that the site may have remained in use and later been repurposed in the early Islamic period, in a manner comparable to developments in other cities of the region.