Excavated between 1928 and 1937 on the Euphrates, Dura-Europos was a Roman frontier town buried beneath an earthen rampart in 256 AD when the Persians sacked it. The collapsed buildings preserved a late Roman world frozen in place — including a private house converted around 232 AD into a Christian gathering place, with a baptistery wall painted with images of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, and the Marys at the empty tomb.
Why this matters
The earliest physical remains of Christian worship space, predating Constantine by ~80 years. The frescoes are the oldest known Christian art, showing what 3rd-century Christians believed, taught, and pictured before the Roman state took an interest.
Scripture references
Acts 2:42-471 Corinthians 16:19Romans 16:5
Location
Dura-Europos, Syria