Christianization of Roman Basilica

Once Christianity had been legalized in 4^thC, Christians were prepared to construct large and more attractive structures for worship compared to the secretive meeting place they were using initially. Architectural formulas used to construct temples were not suitable, not for their pagan associations though because the pagan cult and sacrifices took place outdoors under open sky in the gods’ sight with the treasury and cult figures being housed in the temple as a backdrop. The common conventional architecture of the basilicas was the usable model at hand when Constantine wanted to honor his imperia holiness (Watson, 2009). These had a middle nave with one passageway at each side and an apse at one end. Bishop and priests sat at this raise dais. This kind of basilica was constructed by Constantine in his palace compound at Trier, adopted afterward very effortlessly for church use. It is an extensive rectangle having two storeys ranked with arch-headed casements one on top of the other. There were no passageways and the arch in which Constantine held state was at the far end beyond a huge arch. This kind of basilica was constructed in Western Europe, Greece Palestine, Syria and Egypt. The Church of St. Elias at Thessalonica, the Nativity at Bethlehem and the great basilicas at Ravenna are first-class ancient examples of architectural basilica. It represents the first shift toward a centralized architecture different from the longitudinal basilicas. In addition, it is embodied with Constantine’s principles of symbolism of important beliefs in Christianity. Having a more detailed decoration on the interior compared to the outside.

Watson (2009) asserts that the first basilicas with transepts were constructed under Emperor Constantine’s order in both Rome and Constantinople- his New Rome. Gregory Nazianzen was the first person to point out its likeness to a cross around 380 when describing the Constantinian Church of the Holy Apostles. This comparison met with a stunning success because the sects of the cross were thinning out nearly at that same period. Hence, a Christian figurative theme was used quite naturally to a form scrounged civil semi-public patterns other Christian basilicas including Santa Sabina, St. Paul’s Outside the Walls and St John Lateran were constructed in Rome in the later on 4^thC. The basilicas took the shape of audience halls and provided the ambience of prominence desired by Constantine. St. John the Lateran church is a refocus of the architecture from the exterior to a marvelous interior with grand decorations and lighting. Symbolic attention is visible in the architecture St. Peter church built on top of the tomb of Peter having a cross axes of the nave that formed a transept and focused attention of worshipers on the tomb of Peter.

The 4^thC and 5^thC-‘s Christian basilica stood behind the completely enclosed open space ringed with an arcade like the peristyle or stoa that was its forebear or like the cloister that was its descendant. From outside, the open space was entered via a variety of constructions beside the public street. This was St Peter’s Basilica’s architectural ground plan in Rome. It was until 15^thC when it was knocked down to pave way for current church construction to a new plan. The middle nave is taller than the passageways in most basilicas forming a chain of windows referred to as clerestory (Garth, 1994). In the Caucasus, some basilicas especially those of Georgia and Armenia, have a middle nave only slightly higher than the two passageways and all three covered by a single inclined roof. A much darker interior is the outcome of this construction. This plan is therefore called Oriental Basilica. The term oriental signifies the borrowing of key architectural concepts from the eastern continents of the world not previously present on the Roman and western world. The church at ST Catherine’s Monastery, the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna and Mt Sinai are the popular examples of churches built in basilica style. The massive Romanesque, which still preserves the basilica’s essential plan, emerged gradually in the early middle Ages. It consists of thick walls, round arches, tough landings, groin domes, with large towers, and a decorated walkway. Piers supported arches sometimes with vertical arches supporting them. Arches are always a semicircle. The most distinct feature is the inclusion of columns to separate piers or alternate with piers.