Andesina, Basilica

Andesina: town of the Gallic Leuci, major sanctuary of Apollo Grannus, modern Grand.

The so-called basilica

The so-called basilica was part of the ritual complex in the center of Andesina. It was very close - a stone's throw, literally - to the temple itself, and was directed at the amphitheater. It was clearly an important building and the splendid mosaic brings to mind the words of the orator who praised the temple of Apollo Grannus as "the world's most beautiful temple".note However, it is far from certain that it was a basilica.

The central part of the mosaic is a scene from a comedy, and there is some debate whether it is by a Roman playwright (Plautus or Terence) or one of their Greek colleagues (Menander's Phasma, "The Phantom"). It does not really help that the central part of mosaic is damaged. There is also a panther represented on the same mosaic, which suggests that the hall was somehow related to the cult of Dionysus.