Key Facts
• Archaeologists discovered evidence suggesting a Roman-era church was a synagogue.
• The site is located in Castulo, a former Roman settlement in southern Spain.
• Artifacts include oil lamp fragments and roof tiles with menorah decorations.
• No Christian-related artifacts were found at the site.
• The building’s square shape differs from typical rectangular Christian churches.
• Features like a central elevated platform (bimah) align with synagogue architecture.
• The building was near a Roman temple, which Christians likely avoided.
• Researchers hypothesize an unknown Jewish community lived in Castulo.
• Written records of this Jewish community are absent, raising some doubts.
• Anti-Jewish laws by Visigoth King Sisebut (612–621 CE) excluded Castulo’s Jews.
• The community likely disappeared due to forced conversions or migration.
• Excavations are ongoing, with plans for site preservation and public access.
• Researchers aim to find definitive evidence to confirm the synagogue hypothesis.
Summary
Archaeologists in southern Spain have uncovered evidence suggesting a Roman-era church in Castulo was actually a synagogue. Artifacts such as menorah-decorated roof tiles and oil lamp fragments, along with the building’s square design and central bimah, support this theory. The absence of Christian artifacts and proximity to a Roman temple further indicate its Jewish origins. Researchers believe the site was used by an unknown Jewish community, though no written records exist. The community likely vanished due to forced conversions or migration during the Visigothic period. Excavations continue, with plans to preserve and potentially open the site to the public.
