The investigation of 2010 undertaken in the extra-muros early Christian basilica of the Roman castrum of Scampis aimed to define the outline plan of the monument, to further understand the functional areas and distinguish its architectonic elements.
By the end of the season, the excavation established the layout of the church, though the extension of the annexes to the north and south of the exonarthex or the atrium remain as yet undefined. It is quite clear that the basilica has an east-west orientation, with a 17 degree of deviation to its northeast-southwest direction. The basilica has a three aisled plan with a transept and a semicircle apse; the arms of the transepts do not exceed the width of the aisles. The arcades of the side aisles have five arches supported by two free-standing pilasters alternating with two columns. Given the altitude of the supportive elements of the arcades, it could be assumed that the basilica did not have had a gallery. There are two window columns discovered so far; one of them belongs to the window of the nave set above the roof of the aisles (SF 105); whereas the other, still unearthed, is simple and has the capital incorporated (SF 117). Other capital fragments, which are assumed to belong to the biphoral windows, were found nearby the northern arcade. The window in the apse was initially built as a large triphoral type, but was later, probably in a second phase, immured and changed to a smaller, manifold, type of window. Numerous stone blocks of porous stones came out during the excavation, found mostly at the eastern part of the church. These are likely to have been used in the construction of the arcading and window arches, perhaps in combination with bricks even in the apse. Some elements of the sanctuary gate were also discovered, such as parts of the stylobate, columns, capitals, pilasters and slab stones fragments. The western part of the sylobate wall of sanctuary gate was entirely revealed. Its elements, which are made of reused roman sarcophagi and a stele, are set above a basement of bricks. The stele is vertically divided into two parts, reused in the construction of the stylobate of the prostoon. The sarcophagi cover, containing fish scales motives, has been utilized in the construction of the stylobate of the western parts of the sanctuary gate. Two pilasters were found in the eastern corners of the prostoon, US [0020] and US [0031].
The capitals of the columns (SF 007, 114, 115, 120, 121, 129, and 132) are made of limestone blocks and marble. The only two stone slabs revealed so far (SF 005+018+022 and SF 023), are likely to belong to the entrance passage of the sanctuary. They are of limestone and have the same decorative motives: an acanthus leaf crown with a cross at the center and a rhombus with floral motives consisting of four_ fleur de lis_ and a central button.