Oldest purpose built church

An ancient church unearthed in the Jordanian coastal town of Aqaba by archaeologists from North Carolina State University is dated to between 290 and 300 AD, making it the world's oldest purpose built church. Archaeologists from North Carolina State University's Roman Aqaba project discovered the church in August 1998, along with coins dating from between 293 and 361 AD, a time when Christianity was formally banned in the Roman Empire. The church was destroyed by a powerful earthquake in May 363 AD and was never rebuilt. Older churches exist, but they were 'conversions', not purpose built.