Justin's Feast

During the 6th century A.D., the heavy white wine of Gaza gained some favor at the Byzantine Court, as did a lighter variety from the vineyards of Ascalon just 12 miles further north along the Judaean coastline, thus this text from circa A.D. 566:

"Meanwhile the happy emperor with his holy wife [Justin II and the empress Sophia] had begun to partake of the blessed joys of the imperial table, the royal banquet and the sweet gifts of Bacchus, which wild Sarepta and Gaza had created, and which lovely Ascalon had given her happy colonists....The ancient gifts of the Palestinian Lyaeus [= Bacchus] were mingled in, white with the color of snow and light with a bland taste." (Corippus, In Praise of Emperor Justin III.85)