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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.
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Basilica artefact found at Bargala, 5th century AD
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Basilica artefact found at Zappara, 5th century AD
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