Waterhouse, Percy Leslie: The story of architecture throughout the ages: an introduction to the study of the oldest of the arts for students and general readers (London: B. T. Batsford, 1924)

EARLY CHRISTIAN ARCHITECTURE 93

and the new worship had, in consequence, to
be carried on in secret; hence the earliest
forms of art which it developed were sepulchral,
consisting of the memorials and symbols of the
faith found in the Catacombs.
The religion had little direct influence upon
architecture until it was officially recognised by
the Emperor Constantine in the year 328 ; but
no sooner had it taken its position as a State
religion than the strength of the movement
became apparent, and there sprang up on all
sides a demand for places of Christian worship.
The old temples were not suitable for the
accommodation of large congregations, and
there was, perhaps, some hesitation about
making use of buildings which had been spec-
ially designed for pagan worship. In their
dilemma the early Christian builders turned to
the great halls of commerce, the basilicas, and
found what they were wanting. The interior
arrangements of the basilica suited the require-
ments of the new worship, and, as builders with
inventive genius were scarce in Rome at the
time, it thus came about that the first Christian
churches were built in direct imitation of these
great houses of assembly. As we shall see in
succeeding chapters, this model, once adopted,
was never departed from. There was no lack
of materials, for the city was filled with buildings
upon which all kinds of extravagance had been
lavished, and which were now beginning to fall
into disrepute and neglect. Columns and rich
capitals, marble linings, architraves and oma-