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34-557: It stands in a place where a Roman city located along the Ponsul River once lay, the regional capital of Civitas Igaeditanorum (1st century BC) under the Romans and later the episcopal seat during occupation by the Suebi and Visigoths . The Muslim invasion of Iberia in the early eighth century and the subsequent wars of Christian reconquest brought with it a setback to the development of

68-401: A fair held at a former pagan shrine of Leucothea , in the still culturally Greek region of southern Italy. This shrine had been Christianized by converting it to a baptistery ( Variae 8.33). There are also examples of the transition from miraculous springs to baptisteries from Gregory of Tours (died c. 594) and Maximus, bishop of Turin (died c. 466). Baptisteries belong to a period of

102-403: A few cities ( Olisipo , Ebora Liberalitas Julia , and Augusta Emerita ) or dispersed along the southern coast. Baptistery In Christian architecture the baptistery or baptistry ( Old French baptisterie ; Latin baptisterium ; Greek βαπτιστήριον , 'bathing-place, baptistery', from βαπτίζειν , baptízein, 'to baptize') is the separate centrally planned structure surrounding

136-464: A history of Roman settlement recorded since the year 16 AD, Idanha-a-Velha (Idanha "the old") has been described as a "modest village with a rich historical background". Idanha-a-Velha is built on the site of the city of Egitânia ( Civitas Igaeditanorum ) , which previously had thousands of inhabitants. The town was repeatedly invaded and looted throughout history, and the ruins evince the influence of different periods of its history: buildings from

170-463: A large and sculpturally important tomb by Donatello and his partner . Many of the early archbishops of Canterbury in England were buried in the baptistery at Canterbury. According to the records of early church councils, baptisteries were first built and used to correct what were considered the evils arising from the practice of private baptism. As soon as Christianity had expanded so that baptism became

204-486: A larger octagon. Attached to one side, toward the Lateran basilica, is a porch with two noble porphyry columns and richly carved capitals, bases and entablatures. The circular church of Santa Costanza , also of the 4th century, served as a baptistery and contained the tomb of the daughter of Constantine. This is a remarkably perfect structure with a central dome, columns, and mosaics of classical fashion. Two side niches contain

238-681: Is host to a restored 16th century church , called "the Cathedral", built on ruins dating from the time of the Suebi , as far back as to the fourth century — the first Visigothic cathedral built on the Iberian Peninsula . Near the cathedral is the largest collection of Roman epigraphs in Europe, in an ancient building refurbished as a modern museum to contain the carved and inscribed Roman stones. The Roman epigraphic collection in Idanha-a-Velha

272-486: Is one of the largest and most representative in Portugal. It was compiled during different phases of archaeological investigation in the village. It is located in the grounds of the old olive press in the south-eastern part of the village and was set up to show the collection, which before was at Santa Maria Church or the Cathedral. The new museum project made it possible to study and publish this important collection and organise

306-511: The coloniae (Roman settlements established by order of the Roman government) and the municipia (settlements that typically existed before Romanization). In the Iberian Peninsula, the terms municipia and civitātes are used interchangeably. In 73/74 CE, the lex Flavia municipalis enacted by Vespasian granted all urban centres in modern-day Portugal Latin rights , and over time,

340-602: The Florence Baptistery was built between 1059 and 1128, the Pisa Baptistery begun 1152 (replacing an older one) and completed in 1363, the Parma Baptistery was begun in 1196, Pistoia in 1303; all these have octagonal exteriors. The Siena Baptistery was begun in 1316, then left incomplete some decades later. Famous Italian baptisteries include: Famous French baptisteries include: Byzantine baptisteries of

374-468: The baptismal font ( piscina ), in which those to be baptized were thrice immersed. Three steps led down to the floor of the font, and over it might be suspended a gold or silver dove. The iconography of frescos or mosaics on the walls were commonly of the scenes in the life of Saint John the Baptist . The font was at first always of stone, but latterly metals were often used. The Lateran baptistery's font

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408-426: The baptismal font . The baptistery may be incorporated within the body of a church or cathedral , and provided with an altar as a chapel. In the early Church , the catechumens were instructed and the sacrament of baptism was administered in the baptistery. The sacramental importance and sometimes architectural splendour of the baptistery reflect the historical importance of baptism to Christians. Beginning in

442-457: The cathedral and not to the parish churches. In the Italian countryside a pieve was a church with a baptistery on which other churches without baptisteries depended. During the months when no baptisms occurred, the baptistery doors were sealed with the bishop 's seal , a method of controlling the orthodoxy of all baptism in the diocese. Some baptisteries were divided into two parts to separate

476-571: The 9th and 10th century, during the Moorish occupation, the temple was transformed into a mosque. When the bishopric could finally be restored in 1199 (after the Reconquista ), initially at Idanha-a-Velha, its apostolic succession was assigned to a new see, after which it was (re)named Diocese of Guarda , where a new cathedral was built, while the former cathedral at Idanha-a-Velha, which had served local purposes, notably under Knights Templar influence,

510-481: The Late Middle Ages, when baptisms were normally of infants , and used sprinkling with holy water rather than immersion. Instead, smaller fonts were placed inside the church. But in north Italy separate baptisteries revived, probably largely as an expression of civic pride, placed beside the cathedral, and often with a separate campanile or bell-tower. Among the more spectacular Romanesque and Gothic examples,

544-476: The Pre-History, Celtic , Classic Roman when it was called Civitas Igaeditanorum, Suebic , Visigothic when it was called Egitânia, Moorish, Medieval and Portuguese Manueline periods. The town is reputed to have possibly been the birthplace of the famous Visigothic King Wamba , as well as the fourth century Saint Pope Damasus . The Visigoth King Roderic is also said to have been buried here. The town

578-523: The Romanization of the territory, although there are exceptions. For instance, Augustobriga , near Cáceres, Spain , is named after Augustus , suggesting that some -briga names might have been given to cities during Roman rule. Out of the 32 mansiones in Lusitania mentioned in ancient Itinerarium sources, only about half have been identified. During the era of Augustus , the Iberian Peninsula

612-457: The church itself. After the 9th century, with infant baptism increasingly the rule, few baptisteries were built. Some of the older baptisteries were so large that there are accounts of councils and synods being held in them. They had to be large because a bishop in the early church would customarily baptize all the catechumens in his diocese and the rite was performed only three times a year, on certain holy days. Baptisteries were thus attached to

646-454: The church when great numbers of adult catechumens were baptized and immersion was the rule. They did not seem to be common before the emperors Gratian, Valentinian, and Theodosius made Christianity the state religion in the Edict of Thessalonica (i.e. before the 4th century). As early as the 6th century, the baptismal font was commonly built in the porch of the church, before it was moved into

680-519: The city which before the Muslim invasion was home for thousands of inhabitants. It was occupied by Muslims in the 8th century who called it Exitânia and taken back by Christians in the 12th century. It was donated to the Knights Templar in the 13th century and still has traces of different ages that attest to permanent occupation by various civilizations. As one of the oldest towns in Portugal, with

714-461: The distinction between urban centres (including municipia and coloniae ) lessened following this law. Everyday administration was carried out by aediles , qaestores and duumviri , who communicated with the imperial government. Villae were settlements engaged in producing agricultural goods for local markets, encompassing multiple buildings such as residential houses, barns, and gardens. In Lusitania, most villae were situated around

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748-743: The earliest known mosaics of distinctively Christian subjects. In one is represented Moses receiving the Old Law, in the other Christ delivers to Saint Peter the New Law charter, sealed with the XP monogram. The earliest surviving structure that was used as a baptistery is the tomb-like baptistery at Dura-Europas . Another baptistery of the earliest times has been excavated at Aquileia . Ruins of baptisteries have also been found at Salona and in Crete . At Ravenna are two noted baptisteries, decorated with fine mosaics . One

782-613: The early 1930s. In 2013, the civil parish of Idanha-a-Velha merged into the new parish Monsanto e Idanha-a-Velha . The presence of a primitive basilica (Roman church) constructed in the 4th century influenced King Theodemar of the Suebic Kingdom of Galicia (+570) to choose this town as see when he created the Diocese of Egitânia no later than 559–569. Around 585, the Romanesque cathedral started to be constructed, that included not only

816-430: The exhibition Verba Volant, Scripta Manent (words fly but writing endures). Eighty-six of the 210 pieces are on display, harmonizing traditional exhibition techniques with multimedia technology. Scientific accuracy made it necessary to offer effective access to the contents to a wide audience and so an interactive exhibition was designed where technology helps to contextualize and interpret the pieces. This project encourages

850-554: The fourth century, baptisteries in Italy were often designed with an octagonal plan. The octagonal plan of the Lateran Baptistery , the first structure expressly built as a baptistery, provided a widely followed model. The baptistery might be twelve-sided, or even circular as at Pisa . In a narthex or anteroom , the catechumens were instructed and made their confession of faith before baptism. The main interior space centered upon

884-534: The main structure by the baptistery and the hypothetical palace. That was also the year that Suebic Galicia was annexed by the Visigoths , and was turned into the sixth province of the Visigothic Kingdom of Hispania . In 715 however, the diocese was suppressed (possibly with an apostolic succession of errant bishops), due to the Moorish invasion of Iberia, rendering the church's cathedral function mute. Between

918-462: The most famous early baptistery is Baptistère Saint-Jean at Poitiers . Other early examples exist at Riez , Fréjus and Aix-en-Provence . In England , a detached baptistery is known to have been associated with Canterbury Cathedral . In most of Europe the early Christian practice of having a distinct baptistery building, useful when large numbers of adult catechumens were being instructed and then baptised in groups by immersion, had lapsed by

952-601: The rule, and as immersion of adults gave place to sprinkling of infants, the ancient baptisteries were no longer necessary. They are still in general use, however, in Florence and Pisa. The Lateran Baptistery must be the earliest ecclesiastical building still in use. A large part of it remains as built by Constantine . The central area, with the basin of the font, is an octagon around which stand eight porphyry columns, with marble capitals and entablature of classical form. Outside these are an ambulatory and outer walls forming

986-472: The sexes; or sometimes the church had two baptisteries, one for each sex. A fireplace was often provided to warm the neophytes after immersion. Though baptisteries were forbidden to be used as burial-places by the Council of Auxerre (578), they were sometimes used as such. The Florentine Antipope John XXIII (d. 1419) was buried in the Florence Baptistery , facing Florence Cathedral , with great ceremony, and

1020-433: The use of local heritage through scientific research, preservation of archaeological findings and the use of new technology to meet the needs of qualified tourism for the location. There is also a 17th-century pillory in the village square. Nearby stand the ruins of a Torre dos Templários , a tower constructed on the ruins of a Roman temple dedicated to Venus . It was part of the civil parish of Alcafozes from 1900 to

1054-549: Was built in the mid-5th century, and the other in the 6th. A large baptistery decorated with mosaics was built in the 6th century at Naples . In the East, the metropolitan baptistery at Constantinople still stands at the side of the former patriarchal Church of Holy Wisdom . Many others, in Syria for example, were found in late 19th and early 20th-century archaeological research, as were some belonging to churches of North Africa . In France

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1088-550: Was divided into the provinces of Lusitania , Baetica , and Tarraconensis . These provinces were further subdivided into conventūs . The province of Lusitania was divided into the conventūs of Augusta Emerita (modern-day Mérida , in Spain), Pax Julia ( Beja , Portugal), and Scalabis ( Santarém , Portugal). However, Roman cities held more significance than conventūs in the Peninsula. The primary types of Roman cities were

1122-506: Was fed by a natural spring. When the site had been the palatial dwelling of the Laterani, before Constantine presented it to Bishop Miltiades, the spring formed the water source for the numerous occupants of the domus. As the requirements for Christian baptisteries expanded, Christianization of sacred pagan springs presented natural opportunities. Cassiodorus , in a letter written in AD 527, described

1156-568: Was not even made a co-cathedral . Roman cities in Portugal The territory of modern-day Portugal was Romanized following the events of the Second Punic War (3rd century BCE), through the Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula . The Romans founded cities and Romanized some previously existing settlements. Generally, cities with names ending in -briga are believed to have predated

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