The Reuse of Decorative and Architectural Elements in Late Antique Crete. The Case of Gortyn’s Public Baths

This paper delves into the decorative and architectural aspects of the Gortyn thermae, exploring how the controlled repurposing of spolia in their structures played a role in shaping the city’s metropolis status during Late Antiquity. The buildings considered are: (1) the Megali Porta complex; (2) the Small Byzantine Baths; (3) the thermal complex to the South of the Praetorium quarter; and (4) the so-called Great Baths in the same district. All the mentioned baths, publicly accessible, were strategically positioned near or functionally connected to the city’s political centres. The architectural fragments reused in these buildings from the fourth century onwards are examined to understand the terms and timing of reuse. An attempt is made to document the close relationship between the constructional tradition and the development of late antique imperial edicts, while emphasizing the existence of frequent exceptions and deviations from state-imposed standards.