DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.44944#0120
8o BASILICA IULIA AQUILIANA—BASILICA IUNII BASSI
building was constructed originally of white marble, and on the outer
faces of its pillars were engaged columns of the Doric order. The floor
sloped slightly towards the north-east corner, and was paved with slabs
of marble, coloured in the central court and white in the aisles. The
central area was covered with a wooden roof (Stat. Silv. i. I. 29 ; Mart,
vi. 38. 6), which rose above the roof of the side aisles and admitted
light through its side windows, as in the basilica Aemilia. For the
fragments of the vaulting of the side aisles, see Mitt. 1901, 13-18.
A continuous flight of three steps leads down from the floor of the
central court to that of the outer aisle in front, which, being lower, forms
a sort of portico. From this aisle steps again lead down to the street,
but as there is a considerable rise in the Sacra via, there are seven steps
at the east end and only one at the west. On the south side was a row
of rooms opening on the street, some of which, with massive tufa walls,
have only been partially excavated. It is possible that there was a row
of tabernae on this, the sunny side, as in the basilica Aemilia ; there are
traces of stairs ascending to an upper level, i.e. to the roof of these
tabernae.
The existing remains consist of the foundation, with fragments of the
marble pavement on which are inscribed upwards of eighty tabulae
lusoriae (Mitt. 1896, 227-252) ; 1 the steps with portions of the marble
casing ; and on the vicus Iugarius some of the brick pillars and arches of
the outer aisles belonging to the restoration of Diocletian, together with
some fragments of the marble pillars of the outside. Against the second
column from the front, on the west end, a heavy pier was built, which
formed part of an arch across the vicus Iugarius. Some architectural
fragments have been found, but the standing column of travertine and
many of the brick piers are modern (Jord. i. 2. 385-391 ; HC 61-68 ;
Thed. 150-153, 218-223; LS ii. 205-206; LR 275-279, with resume
of excavations since 1496 ; RA 202-205 ; DR 408, 419 ; RE Suppl. iv.
466-469 ; ASA 83). See Pila Horatia.
Basilica Iulia Aquiliana : mentioned by Vitruvius (v. I. 4) as occupying
a long and narrow site, so that the chalcidica or porches were added
at the ends. It has been conjectured that it was built in honour of
Julius Caesar by C. Aquilius Gallus, the friend of Cicero. Its site is
unknown (Jord. i. 2. 256 ; RE iii. 84 ; x. 8).
Basilica Iunii Bassi : consul ordinarius in 331 a.d. (not 317, cf. Gotting.
Nachr. 1904, .345), situated on the Esquiline east of S. Maria Maggiore.
The inscription, in mosaic, was copied in the sixteenth century (Iunius
Bassus, v.c. consul ordinarius propria impensa a solo fecit et dedicavit
feliciter, CIL vi. 1737) in the apse of a richly decorated hall belonging
to it. He died in 359 (ib. 32004).
1 This article, cited by various writers, contains a description of tesserae hisoriae used
for the ludus duodecim scriptortim, but not a word about the tabzilae on the pavement of the
basilica, which are best described by Thedenat, cit.
building was constructed originally of white marble, and on the outer
faces of its pillars were engaged columns of the Doric order. The floor
sloped slightly towards the north-east corner, and was paved with slabs
of marble, coloured in the central court and white in the aisles. The
central area was covered with a wooden roof (Stat. Silv. i. I. 29 ; Mart,
vi. 38. 6), which rose above the roof of the side aisles and admitted
light through its side windows, as in the basilica Aemilia. For the
fragments of the vaulting of the side aisles, see Mitt. 1901, 13-18.
A continuous flight of three steps leads down from the floor of the
central court to that of the outer aisle in front, which, being lower, forms
a sort of portico. From this aisle steps again lead down to the street,
but as there is a considerable rise in the Sacra via, there are seven steps
at the east end and only one at the west. On the south side was a row
of rooms opening on the street, some of which, with massive tufa walls,
have only been partially excavated. It is possible that there was a row
of tabernae on this, the sunny side, as in the basilica Aemilia ; there are
traces of stairs ascending to an upper level, i.e. to the roof of these
tabernae.
The existing remains consist of the foundation, with fragments of the
marble pavement on which are inscribed upwards of eighty tabulae
lusoriae (Mitt. 1896, 227-252) ; 1 the steps with portions of the marble
casing ; and on the vicus Iugarius some of the brick pillars and arches of
the outer aisles belonging to the restoration of Diocletian, together with
some fragments of the marble pillars of the outside. Against the second
column from the front, on the west end, a heavy pier was built, which
formed part of an arch across the vicus Iugarius. Some architectural
fragments have been found, but the standing column of travertine and
many of the brick piers are modern (Jord. i. 2. 385-391 ; HC 61-68 ;
Thed. 150-153, 218-223; LS ii. 205-206; LR 275-279, with resume
of excavations since 1496 ; RA 202-205 ; DR 408, 419 ; RE Suppl. iv.
466-469 ; ASA 83). See Pila Horatia.
Basilica Iulia Aquiliana : mentioned by Vitruvius (v. I. 4) as occupying
a long and narrow site, so that the chalcidica or porches were added
at the ends. It has been conjectured that it was built in honour of
Julius Caesar by C. Aquilius Gallus, the friend of Cicero. Its site is
unknown (Jord. i. 2. 256 ; RE iii. 84 ; x. 8).
Basilica Iunii Bassi : consul ordinarius in 331 a.d. (not 317, cf. Gotting.
Nachr. 1904, .345), situated on the Esquiline east of S. Maria Maggiore.
The inscription, in mosaic, was copied in the sixteenth century (Iunius
Bassus, v.c. consul ordinarius propria impensa a solo fecit et dedicavit
feliciter, CIL vi. 1737) in the apse of a richly decorated hall belonging
to it. He died in 359 (ib. 32004).
1 This article, cited by various writers, contains a description of tesserae hisoriae used
for the ludus duodecim scriptortim, but not a word about the tabzilae on the pavement of the
basilica, which are best described by Thedenat, cit.