[robowombat]

Now referred to as the “Burnt Church,” this structure was likely burned to the ground during a Sasanian conquest of Hippos in the beginning of the seventh century.

This was part of the duel to the death between the Sassanids and the Byzantine (East Roman) Empire. The Persians wreaked havoc on the Greco-Romans and in return the hero emperor Heraclitus conducted a series of campaigns ending with a crushing defeat of the Persians and the destruction of the sacred Fire Temple deep inside Persia . For this largely unknown war see : https://ehistory.osu.edu/articles/persian-campaign-emperor-heraclius

Unfortunately these protracted and almost genocidal wars fatally weakened the Sassanids and coupled with the human cost of the Bubonic Plague of Justinian did the same to the Greco-Roman Empire. The ultimate beneficiary of these wars were the Muzzards who gained many victories at remarkably low costs due to the damage war and pestilence had done to these two great empires.

[SunkenCiv]

Alas, and I wholeheartedly agree.

OTOH, some blue language here, but I read this once in a while and laugh my big butt right off:

http://www.badassoftheweek.com/basil.html