Basilica Aemilia

Basilica Aemilia

Marcus Fulvius Nobilior
Founded	179 BC

The Basilica Aemilia (Italian: Basilica Emilia) was a civil basilica in the Roman Forum, in Rome, Italy. Today only the plan and some rebuilt elements can be seen. The Basilica was 100 meters (328 ft) long and about 30 meters (98 ft) wide. Along the sides were two orders of 16 arches, and it was accessed through one of three entrances.^[1]

History

Pre-existing building

The new basilica was built on a site of the 5th-century BC tabernae lanienae ("butcher shops") and later (4th century BC) the tabernae argentariae. The latter housed the city's bankers, and after a fire was renamed tabernae novae ("new shops"). The square had two facing rows of shops. A first basilica had been built behind the tabernae argentariae between 210 BC and 195-191 BC, the date in which it is mentioned by Plautus. Archaeological studies have shown that this building comprised three naves paved with tuff from Monteverde, the back façade having a portico which opened to the Forum Piscatorium and the Macellum (the area later occupied by the Forum of Nerva).

The Basilica Fulvia-Aemilia

It was erected in 179 BC^[1] by censor Marcus Fulvius Nobilior with the name of Basilica Fulvia. After the latter's death, his colleague Marcus Aemilius Lepidus completed it, and it was frequently restored and redecorated by the members of the Aemilian gens, giving the basilica its current name.^[2]

The 78 BC consul, also called

.

According to other scholars, however, the Basilica Aemilia formed a different edifice from the Basilica Fulvia.

In the year 50BCE, Julius Caesar "...gave the consul Paulus fifteen hundred talents with which he added to the beauty of the forum by building the famous Basilica which was erected in the place of the one called "the Fulvia".^[3]

The Basilica Paulli

A new edifice in substitution of the Basilica Fulvia was begun in 55 BC by

, and inaugurated by his son in 34 BC. This edifice had similar lines to the preceding one; however with a reduced length and a second nave in lieu of the back portico.

The columns in the central nave, in African

. The columns in the second row were in cipolline marble and, finally, the external ones had Ionic capitals.

After a fire, Augustus in 14 BC heavily restored the edifice.^[1] In this occasion the tabernae which preceded it towards the Forum square and the portico were totally rebuilt. The latter was dedicated to the emperor's two grandsons (Porticus Gai et Luci): it had two orders of arcades with pilasters and Doric semi-columns. The two upper floors of the basilica were totally rebuilt. Over the upper order an attic was built, decorated with vegetable elements and statues of barbarians.

The basilica was restored again in 22 AD. On its two-hundredth anniversary, the Basilica Aemilia was considered by

, there were the Tabernae Novae (New Shops). The main hall or court (100 m long and 29.9 m deep) was located behind the shops.

The wooden roof, the Tabernae as well as the facade of the basilica were completely destroyed by fire when Rome was sacked by

Palazzo Giraud Torlonia

.

Gallery

• 
  Drawing of the remains of the Basilica Aemilia, at the Roman Forum, by Giuliano da Sangallo, 1480.
• 
  Image of the façade of the Basilica Aemilia, on a Roman coin minted by Marcus Aemilius Lepidus in 61 BC

References

External links