The Tomb of Theodoric, which lie built during his life and in which he was buried in 526, is a circular chapel whose flat dome is formed from a huge block of stone—an imitation of the massive blocks with which the Germans covered the burial-chambers of their heroes. A row of columns surrounded the structure, which stood upon a lofty substructure containing the cruciform sepulchre. Broad flights of steps led up to the chapel.
The Church of S. 17/ale at Ravenna was commenced in 526, the year of Theodoric's death. It was finished in 547, though the rule of the Ostrogoths had ended in 54o. It is an octangular domical structure with a vaulted aisle around it and a vaulted gallery above the aisle Cbl. 15, fig. 4). Eight enormous piers, with their arches, bear the cupola. The east ern intercolumniation is lengthened into a chancel, while the other seven have domes like those which in the therm are set between the piers in the principal room (comp. /54 t2,fig-. 2), and which are especially common in classic architecture. The arrangement is similar to that found in the Temple of Minerva Medica at Rome, except that here the half-domes stand above a double series of arcades, which bear the thrust of the vault ing of both upper and lower aisles. • Juliauus Argentarius directed its con struction, and also built, in 534, the great Basilica of S. Apollinare, in the suburb of Classis, finished in 549. The exterior and a section of this largest of the Ravenna basilicas are given ou Plate 14 (Ergs. 4, 5).
IVorks of grand building-era opened in the year 527, when Justinian ascended the throne of the East. The scene of greatest activity was Constantinople, where Justinian in this year began the con struction of SS. Sergius and Bacchus (pi. fig. 5).
Church of .9a. of the most magnificent architectiiral structures—whose spacious area, doubtless, is not equal to that of the great basilicas of Rome, but which in its design and in the grandeur of its parts is arranged with such extraordinary harmony that the majestic impression produced by the interior is not surpassed by any other church —is Sta. Sophia at Constantinople, which as a mosque is still the chief place of worship of that city (Jigs. 6-8). The church built by Con stantine (see p. 99) was in 532, during a popular riot, delivered to the flames; and forty days afterward the emperor had laid the corner stone of a new edifice. Thousands of artisans toiled at the structure,
which was carried on tinder the direction of the architects Isidoros of Miletos and Anthemios of Tralles, famed for their abilities and for their mechanical and physical knowledge. It was completed in 537, and at the sight of it the emperor joyfully exclaimed that he had surpassed Sol omon. A few years afterward an earthquake partially overthrew the edifice, but the emperor set to work with renewed zeal, and under the direction of the younger Isidoros, the grandson of the now-deceased archi tect, it was strengthened, beautified, and improved.
The building was destined to be monumental; no wood was allowed to enter into its construction, and thus naturally a grand dome formed the centre of the design. But the circular form was not desired, and there fore the dome was by means of four pendentives set upon a square base, which on two sides was enclosed by half-domes of less elevation. From these half-domes small semicircles projected ; so that a nearly quadran gular nave resulted, from the eastern extremity of which the chancel apsis projected.
Wonderful is the intelligence displayed in the statical system that supports the lofty dome, bewildering and charming the effect produced by the many-colored pillars down to the mosaics and inscriptions on the walls. The edifice was a work of wonder; its fame spread from the East to the West, casting into shadow the greatest deeds of the emperors. Not only did it exercise the architects and the emperor, it was also a public affair. All classes took part therein; public prayers were offered for the success of the undertaking; the materials were brought from all parts of the em pire: Rhodes furnished tiles for the construction of the dome, while Rome, whose ancient monuments at that time served as a quarry in spite of The odoric's prohibition, contributed its marble columns. Justinian did not omit to beautify the surroundings. A fore-court with porticoes led up to the structure, and on the south—which in our illustration is left free in order to display the outline of the building—extended the Augusteum, a plaza surrounded by porticoes, set with magnificent public buildings, and adorned in its centre with the equestrian statue of the emperor upon a • mighty column.