BASILICA

(a royal abode, originally the hall occupied by the ArchOn Basileus), amongst the ancient A then i ans, the name of a kind of buiklinpi are belonging to cla i cid antiquity, which acquired ihoir characteristic form among the Romans. In the first centuries of Rome, the basilicse were splendid public N. Pebuildings, of an obltmg shape, and four-cornered, commonly adorned with Corinthian columns anil statues, where the citizens collected to cont^ult for their common welfare, the merchants cxpostKl their of wares, the young orators exercisetl themselves in race declamation, . Const an tine the Great gave some the basilica) to the Christians in Rome for their worship. the Thence it hap{)ened that the first Chrintian churchee obtained the name of ba*ilic(r. But in the fourth century after Christ the ancient form of the battilica war, began to be modifie<l, and to receive further developments. The chief changes that from that time onbut wards were gradually made in its constniction conwas sisted in the raising of the nave above the rest of the building, the introduction ol windows, the add i* tion of the tnuiBeptfl, and the decoration of the interior with works in mosaic. At a later time towers were introduced, and still later vaulted roofs instead of the flat timber roofs with which they were formerly provided. 86