Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Basilica

Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary, and Greek Lexicon (Rich, 1849)

BASIL'ICA. A spacious public building erected in, or contiguous to the forum or market place, for the merchants and people of business to meet in, as well as for a court of justice; thus answering in many respects to our "Town Hall" and "Exchange." Cic. Verr. ii. 5. 58. Id. Att. ii. 14.

The internal construction of a basilica bore a very close resemblance to most of our old English churches. It consisted of a central nave and two side aisles, divided from it by a row of columns on each side, as shown on the annexed ground-plan (Basilica/1.1) of the Basilica at Pompeii. In this part of the building, the merchants and people of business congregated and transacted their affairs. At the further extremity of the principal nave, a portion was railed off (see the right hand of the preceding cut), like the chancel of a church, or a tribune was thrown out (see the next wood-cut), so as to form a recess apart from the noise and activity of the traffickers in the body of the building; and in these the judges sat, and the council pleaded. The whole of the interior was further surrounded by an upper gallery raised upon the columns which divided the aisles below, as represented in the annexed engraving (Basilica/1.2), which shows a longitudinal section and elevation down the centre of the ancient Basilica at Verona, as restored from its remains by the Count Arnaldi. These upper galleries were mainly intended for the accommodation of spectators and idle loungers; who were thus enabled to watch the proceedings going on without creating confusion, or disturbing the real business below. Vitr. v. 1.

2. After the introduction and establishment of Christianity by Constantine, many of the ancient basilicae were converted by him into places for religious worship, for which purpose their plan of construction was so well adapted; hence, amongst the ecclesiastical writer, after that period, the word is commonly used to designate a church (Sulp. Sev. Hist. Sacr. ii. 33. and 38.). Five of these edifices at Rome still retain their ancient name of basilicae; and moreover, preserve a record of their original purpose, by being kept open, like a court of justice, the whole day, instead of being shut at certain hours, like all the other churches.

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  Basilica/1.1
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  Basilica/1.2