Roman Basilica Research Paper

Much of ancient Rome’s architecture was influenced by other cultures, but the Romans were always able to make it their own. One example is the Roman basilica that was largely influenced by Greek stoas; the Romans were able to take a Greek idea and apply it to fit their own needs and aesthetic, making it uniquely Roman. The first Roman basilica ever built was the Basilica Aemilia and was the first of many basilicas that would eventually be built in Ancient Rome. Stoas were large roofed and colonnaded halls built along the outer area of the agora, or the cultural center of a Greek city. Although built after the Basilica Aemilia the Stoa of Attalos, constructed in Athens by King Attalos II of Pergamon in 159-138 BCE as a gift to the Athenian …show more content…
In 78 BCE the facade facing the Forum was decorated with portraits and shields of Aemilius family ancestors (Walter’s Tours of Ancient Rome). The Aemilius family continued to look after and restore the basilica, especially after their family portraits were displayed.
The basilica was once again updated from 55–34 BCE when moneychanger and bank shops that were along the Forum and in front were added to be included inside the basilica (Basilicas of the Roman Forum). Then after a fire in 14 BCE, the basilica had to be rebuilt and it wasn’t until 22 AD that the building had its final layout (Nieuwe Pagina 1). Although the Basilica Aemilia had additions made and was reconstructed many times, the layout of the original building almost never …show more content…
The floor of the nave would have been elaborately laid with multicolored marble, while the aisle would have been white marble. On the interior walls were marble friezes depicting significant scenes in Roman history, such as the story of Romulus and Remus abandoned as babies and cared for by a female wolf, Lupa. There were statues between the columns in the colonnade facing the forum, they likely would have been Roman or Parthian officials to signify the peace treaty of 20 BCE between the Romans and the Parthians (The Basilica Aemilia). The Basilica Aemilia was an impressive building and was considered by many to be one of the most beautiful in the Roman Forum.
Romanitas is defined as the set of values and characteristics that an ideal Roman citizen would have (The Roman Way), and the Basilica Aemilia truly embodies romanitas. As it was one of the largest buildings in the Roman Forum, the Basilica Aemilia was used for a multitude of Roman activities, like monetary transactions in the front shops, civil court cases, public meetings, and just as a general social gathering space. The Basilica Aemilia was such a part of everyday Roman life, and with its displays of patriotism through statuary and reliefs, it was a true emblem of