| In Early Christian times, the seat of the episcopate of Syvritos was at Ancient Syvritos (now Thronos in Amari district). When Arab raids began, the seat was moved to the nearby village of Vyzari, which was safer, and lay in a settlement that flourished in Roman times. The three-nave Byzantine basilica of the Hellenistic type that was built there became the centre of religious activity from the late 7th to the early 9th century. It was burnt to the ground following the Arab conquest. In the second Byzantine period the newly-founded episcopate of Arion was established on a site further north. This paper publishes conclusions arising from the excavations in the ruins of the basilica, together with historical attestations drawn from other sources. |