Parker, John Henry: The archaeology of Rome (1,2): Illustrations to I. The primitive fortifications. II. The walls and gates of Rome. III. The historical constructions of walls (Oxford [u.a.], 1874)

HILLS OF ROME.

The Palatine.

Plate X.
Remains of the Palace of Domitian. These two views are in
the same great basilica, called the Basilica Jovis, the principal state-
hall of the Palatine, the place for all the grandest ceremonies of the
Roman Emperors, and at the same time, like the English House of
Lords, the highest court of justice. The ground-plan is not altered,
and can be clearly seen, with the apse at the east end, and remains
of the seat of the Emperor on the wall, and the perforated marble
screen across the chord of the apse : at the north-east corner, that
portion of the wall which forms the angle still stands at its original
height, and the remains of the two rows of columns which divide
the hall into a nave or aisles, shew that they were only half the
height of the building, and that there were galleries there, as men-
tioned in Vitruvius. The fragments that remain are slight, but
interesting, and extremely picturesque. In the Church of S. Agnes,
which is a good copy of the Basilica type, and which was built in
the fourth century, the galleries remain, and are still in use.