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Chapter - 4
Formative Influences to 1700
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Christianity in
Minorca
An event of major importance in
the life of the Minorcans during the Roman occupation was the coming of
Christianity. It is not known precisely how and when it came. Paul twice
states his intention to visit Spain (Epistle to the Romans 15: 24, 28),
in which case his ship would probably have called in at Port Mahon. Non-biblical
sources - Clement of Rome and the Muratorian Canon (an Italian document
written in Greek in the latter part of the second century AD ) - indicate
that Paul could have visited Spain in AD 63. The most certain date is,
however, between AD 300 and 400, towards the end of the Roman era. The
oldest Christian document referring to Minorca is dated AD 417, and was
a letter from Bishop Severo of Minorca to the Christian world, a copy of
which still exists in the Vatican.
The remains of four Palaeochristian
basilicas have been discovered on the island during the last twenty-five
years. The best known is at Son Bou on the south coast, and lies on the
shore of a three-mile stretch of beach. It was discovered in 1951.
By comparison with similar churches
in North Africa, it is believed to date from the Byzantine period (the
end of the fifth century AD), and it has a unique circular font carved
out of a cyclopean block of limestone. A second basilica, approached by
a narrow farm road at Fornas de Torello, near Mahon, was discovered by
a farmer who was clearing a field of stones as late as 1956.
All that survives are its magnificent
Roman mosaic floor with representations of lions and birds, and parts of
its altar. There are also remains of basilicas at Cap de Fort (near Fornells)
and on the islet of Colom, near Es Grau.
Roman remains
In addition to the above, there
are a variety of other Roman remains; for example, a villa mosaic floor
(now housed in the Mahon museum) from the Isla del Rey. Ten Roman inscriptions
have been found at Mahon, and twenty - in poor condition - in caves at
Cales Coves.
A magnificent bronze statue of the
Emperor Tiberius was found in the eighteenth century during the French
occupation from 1756 to 1763. After changing hands several times, it was
presented to Louis XV of France, and is now in the Bibliotheque Nationale,
Paris. A statue of the god Mars with sword and helmet was found at
the medieval fortified farmhouse of Santa Teresa near the Roman port of
Sanitja previously mentioned.
The Roman occupation ended in AD
427 with the collapse of their Empire.
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