Editing Amphipolis (section)

===Revival in Late Antiquity===

[[File:Plan and neighbourhood of Amphipolis.jpg|thumb|Plan and neighbourhood of Amphipolis.]]
During the period of [[Late Antiquity]], Amphipolis benefited from the increasing economic prosperity of Macedonia, as is evidenced by the large number of [[Christianity|Christian churches]] that were built. Significantly however, these churches were built within a restricted area of the town, sheltered by the walls of the [[acropolis]]. This has been taken as evidence that the large fortified perimeter of the ancient town was no longer defendable, and that the population of the city had considerably diminished.

Nevertheless, the number, size and quality of the churches constructed between the 5th and 6th centuries are impressive. Four [[basilica]]s adorned with rich [[mosaic]] floors and elaborate architectural sculptures (such as the ram-headed [[column]] capitals – see picture) have been excavated, as well as a church with a hexagonal central plan which evokes that of the [[Basilica of San Vitale|basilica]] of [[Saint Vitalis of Milan|St Vitalis]] in [[Ravenna]]. It is difficult to find reasons for such municipal extravagance in such a small town. One possible explanation provided by the historian [[André Boulanger]] is that an increasing ‘willingness’ on the part of the wealthy upper classes in the late Roman period to spend money on local [[gentrification]] projects (which he terms ''[[euergetism]]'', from the Greek verb {{lang|grc|εὐεργετέω}}; meaning 'I do good') was exploited by the local church to its advantage, which led to a mass gentrification of the urban centre and of the agricultural riches of the city's territory. Amphipolis was also a [[diocese]] under the [[metropolitan see]] of [[Thessalonica]] – the Bishop of Amphipolis is first mentioned in 533. The bishopric is today listed by the [[Catholic Church]] as a [[titular see]].<ref>''Annuario Pontificio 2013'' (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 {{ISBN|978-88-209-9070-1}}), p. 831</ref>