RASSAFE SITE

The 1 950 m enclosure (550 x 400) is required to appreciate both power and good conservation. Flanked by 52 fairly disparate towers, the enclosure undoubtedly had a defensive function. A gap today filled even around this wall built by Bishop Alexander in the fourth Century and then consolidated by order of Emperor Justinian. The most monumental doors covered by the city, the most monumental, protected by two rectangular towers, is undoubtedly the one located in the north (entrance to the east). The decoration of the portal is beautifully worked out. The three bays are surmounted by a sculpted frame of grapes and leaves. The arches are supported by six square corinthian columns. The keystone includes a device that allows the attackers to be removed by throwing projectiles.

Cross the north door, the city is penetrated by the city's main axis, the decumanus, cleared in its northern part, while the cardo is not yet recorded. At 100 m on the left, a building called martyrium is reached, due to a pink marble sarcophagus wrongly attributed to Saint Serge.

The plan of the building recalls that of the church of Ezraa: a square whose faces are curved outwards. Such a diagram allows to date the century building. The apse and the two chapels surmounted by towers are the best conserved. Paper on the ground, the drums and capitals are pink marble.

By continuing in the decumanus axis, the necessary tanks are reached which allow the water to be fed throughout the year through a network of complex piping. A vital necessity under such a climate. Three huge open tanks are buried in basement. The one that is placed in the south is the most important, with a huge capacity of 15 000 m ³ for a height of 15 m, and it is interesting to win the south-west corner of the enclosure to admire the construction. The tower was used in the watch, while the round road, supported by a thread of hanger arcades offering a beautiful perspective, allowed access to the defences of deadly killers. From this round of round, which makes it possible to observe the Bedouin life by listening to the big birds singing, we have seen the remains of the city, radiating from all their lights. Gypsum used everywhere in buildings refers the rays of sunshine to a thousand. This material, also present at Church, nevertheless presents the disadvantage of being very friable.

We return to the centre of the city where the aerial ruins of a basilica are located (so-called Basilica B). Dated the end of the fifth century, this basilica would have included the first martyrium of Saint Serge.

More to the east, the cathedral Saint-Serge, the most recent basilicas devoted to pilgrimage, is finally reached. The church was dedicated to the Holy Cross in 509. by Archbishop Ibrahim of Sergiopolis. The three naves in the building are well delineated by two rows of pink marble columns with tents surmounted by inscriptions in Greek.

Originally, two large arches, still very apparent, separated the naves. The central part is occupied by a widespread mechanism in the Byzantine churches of Syria: the bêma, a kind of raised tribune where the clergy celebrated the office in the presence of the choir.

A treasure of a fine golden silver crockery was exhumed here by a team of German archaeologists. A copy is presented at the Simoen Museum.

Several remains remain outside the walls. Citons (Byzantine cemetery in the north-east) and the ghassanide palace (th century). 200 m in front of the north gate.