Basilica Aemilia

The Basilica Aemilia is the only one still visible of the four major basilicas from the time of the Roman Republic, and is located in the Roman Forum in Rome.

History

The basilica was built in 179 BC by Marcus Aemilius Lepidus and the censors Marcus Fulvius Nobilior and was called Basilica Aemilia et Fulvia. After the members of the family of Aemilius had the basilica restored again and again in the late Republic and early Empire, it was renamed the Basilica Aemilia.

So let 80-78 Marcus Aemilius Lepidus BC, descendant of the same name Censors, shields with the portraits of his ancestors which are needed to be seen on a coin, which presumably v. 66-54 came into circulation. Whether this is a further construction is unclear.

Another safe construction phase lasted from the 50's to 34 BC It was started by Lucius Aemilius Lepidus Paullus, where due to conflicting source location is the exact time here Aemilius Lepidus and unclear a year after him Cicero 44 BC still praised for its construction in the forum on the highest, was proscribed, and fled to Asia Minor. Paullus Aemilius Lepidus His son inaugurated 34 BC as a Suffektkonsul the Basilica.

The Basilica Aemilia was burning 14 BC with a large fire, which spread to the temple of Vesta, down to the ground now and was rebuilt. Only after the name of Marcus Aemilius Paullus this was done by the money probably came from Augustus and friends of Aemilius. A dedicatory inscription to Lucius and Gaius Caesar is commonly dated to the year 2 BC and assigned to the portico, which could be close to their completion this year.

Another fire there was in the year 238, after extensive restoration work was necessary. Definitively the Basilica Aemilia was destroyed in the sack of Rome in 410 by Alaric I.. Their remains were later used as building material.

From the exact shape of the basilica is almost nothing survived. The 70 × 30 m large interior was divided into three naves. It was later added probably another ship on the north side. The facade towards the Forum was preceded by a two-story portico probably a. Behind the 16 arches were located Tabernae, which probably served as business premises.

Research

The first excavations at the Basilica began in 1899 under the direction of Giacomo Boni, the excavation documentation was never released. In the 30s of the 20th century, the Basilica under Alfonso Bartoli was completely uncovered and partially restored. The first - albeit sparse - published excavation reports come from a re-excavation Pietro novel Ellis from the years 1946 to 1948 It also deep excavations were carried out which revealed brought two more colonnades, with their connection to the literary sources is still difficult. .

In the last 50 years, the frieze and the Basilica assigned barbarians statues were often discussed; the Bauornamentikforschung tried to classify the architectural elements obtained in a chronology. In the 1970s to the 1990s, Heinrich Bauer took on new plans and architectural elements in order to arrive at a reconstruction of the early imperial building. He also tried to shed light on the Republican architectural history. He published his findings in several papers, but died without publishing a final publication. Currently, finds a Bauneuaufnahme and sifting of all previous materials rather than project of the German Archaeological Institute.

Figure the facade of the Basilica Aemilia on a Roman coin, 61 BC