The Roman public basilica was therefore a sort of covered forum. The term was, however, extended to other colonnaded halls and porticoes of similar plan, but connected with theatres, baths, temples, and even palaces and villas. The largest room in sumptuous houses, with a higher roofed central section with windows and two rows of columns forming lower side-aisles, frequently served wealthy converts to Chris tianity in the earliest times as a place of wor ship. As the only type of covered structure suitable for large gatherings was known as a basilica, it was natural that this name should be adopted for Christian churches. The arrange ments suited the requirements of the Christian liturgy. The beinicycle became the apse; the bishop and presbyters sat where the ,judge and his assessors had been; the congregation could conveniently be arranged along the side porticoes or aisles, men on one side, women on the other (or, in the East, men below and women in the galleries). The type of Roman basilica, which was walled in on all sides, was selected, not that with open arcades. The main change was the omission of the cross-galleries across the short ends. In the article Onuarn, the different types and names used for the Christian place of wor ship are given. It is customary toeall allehurches built before the Gothic period 'basilicas,' except certain Byzantine domicil churches, built in a shape altogether different—squarer than that of the basilicas. Then. when the medireval builders of the north of Europe developed the transept and the choir, the prevailing type was no longer the hasilical. Only in Italy do we find the primitive type preserved as late as the Twelfth and Thirteenth centuries in certain provinces, es pecially that around Rome and in Tuscany. There was greater uniformity in Christian liasilical churches than there had been in Roman basilicas. The oblong plan gave almost always a length equal to one and one-half widths or a little over; the two (or four) rows of columns (or very seldom square piers) dividing the nave from the aisles supported sometimes a straight architrave, sometimes a row of narrow arches; the walls were thin, supporting only wooden roofs, with the rafters and frame showing; sometimes there was a narthex or portico at the entrance, and at the opposite end, in the largest basilicas, a cross nave intervened in front of the apse, in the centre of which stood the altar. The early basilicas
had hut a single apse, but by the Sixth Century a smaller apse was often added on either side, developed from the two side-chambers of the ancient basilica, which had become saeristy and treasury in the earliest churches. In the East, the gallery over the aisles was preserved and used for the women, aecording to the Eastern custom, which required the most rigid separation of the sexes. In Italy, it was thought sufficient to put them in different aisles, so galleries went out of use as unnecessary. the Sixth Century the basilieal form ruled everywhere; then the Orient adopted Byzantine models. The best examples of this early period are: Santa Maria, Maggiore, Santa Sabina, Santa Agnese, all at Rome; Church of the Nativity at Beth lehem ; Sant' Apollina re NUOVO, Sant' Apoili :mare in Classe, San Francesco, and San Vittore at Ravenna; Saint John at Constantinople; Saint Demetrius at Salonica, the Crocifisso at Spoleto; the cathedrals at Parenzo, Triest, and Credo. In Central Syria, where there are re markable ruined Christian towns, deserted ever since the Mohammedan invasion in the Seventh Century, there are important basilicas at Shakka, 'l'afka, Kennawat, Sueideh, Kerbet-llass, El Barah, Babuda, Rueiha, Der-Seta, Bakuza, Kalb Luzeh, Turmanin, Behioh, Kalat-Seman, etc. With a very limited territory, restricted to south ern Europe, the second period of basilica] archi tecture opened in the Seventh Century, with its centre more than ever in Rome, and depending for its spread upon monasticism and missionary work. In Gaul, Germany, England, and Scandi navia, the form of the basilica] church was spread or introduced; but the decadence of archi tectural form made the churches erected up to the Eleventh Century of little moment, except in good Roman examples, such as Santa Prassede. Then, when the revival came, the old basilica] plan. so perfectly and artistically represented by Santa _Maria in Trastevere and San Lorenzo in Rome, San Miniato in Florence. and many others in Central and Southern Italy, was modified so decidedly in most schools as to take the structure out of the class of basilica] churches,