Zappara as an episcopal city was first built on the ground of the rased city of Garescus, due to its ideal geographical location, controlling the valley of the Kriva River. A large episcopal Basilica was built among many living houses on the plain of the abandoned fortified city of Garescus late in the 4th or early in the 5th century. However, Zappara was entirely destroyed by the Hunns during their invasion of the Balkans in 448-449 AC and therefore a new episcopal Basilica had been built nearby, outside the fortified city. Zappara was first mentioned as an Episcopal city in the Acta of the 5th Ecumenical church council in 553 AD, when Bishop Sabianus of the Zappara city refused to attend the council because his archbishop, Benenatus of Justiniana Prima, was not present. Hierocles, in the early 6th century, lists eight cities in the province of Macedonia Secunda: Stobi, Argos, Aistraion (Strumica), Pelagonia (Bitola), Bargala, Harmonia, Kelenidin, and Zappara. Even the newbuilt Episcopal Baislica, known as Rotunda church at Konjuh, was rased to the ground by the Slavs and Avars when they settled to the Balkans in the first half of the 7th century AD.

Basilica artefact found at Bargala, 5th century AD

Basilica artefact found at Zappara, 5th century AD

© Kiril Arsov, 2010