medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
When Sir Bannister Fletcher (q.v. _A History of Architecture_, 18
ed., New York, 1975) refers to the basilica, it is a specific type of
building characterised by a nave (central space) beneath a clerestory
for light, with aisles on either side (there can be more than one per
side but usually there is not) and an apse at one end. Such churches
as S. Clemente and S. Maria Majiore in Rome as well as S. Apollinare
Nuovo and S. Apollinare in Classe are classic examples. Elaboration
of this style led to the Romanesque, particlularly in France (e.g.
Autun) which then was further elaborated into the Gothic, which makes
its first appearance at St. Denis (1144) under the abbot Suger. A
close inspection of this development reveals its origin in the
basilica as defined by Fletcher. As for "house of God", I imagine
that any house will do so long as the presence of God is recognized
while the space is used for His purposes. Here the Amish use each
other's houses, which seems to work fine. Also, as was mentioned, the
notion of a "house of god" is ancient, possibly prehistoric. Our
native Americans believe that the Black Hills of the Dakotas are
inhabited by their 'great spirits', but maybe they just live there in
the rough. yrs, tom ault
On Fri, 3 Dec 2004 15:26:11 -0500
"Kleinbauer, W. Eugene" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
>culture
>
>From: W. Eugene Kleinbauer [log in to unmask]
>
> Roman basilicas served a variety of functions: mainly market place
> buildings, but also judicial halls, imperial audience halls,
>reception
> rooms in aristocratic mansions or villas, riding grounds for
>horsemen.
> When Roman authors mention basilicas they refer to their function,
>not
> their design. As to their layout they can be aisleless or aisled,
>with
> a nave and two or four or six or in one case in North Africa 8 side
> aisles. They are either single-storied or double-storied (galleries
> above the side aisles, as in, e.g., the huge Basilica Ulpia of the
> emperor Trajan in Rome (beautifully published by James Packer).
>Their
> plans and sizes vary immensely.
>
> When today we use the term basilica we refer to the design: a
> rectangular (not centralized) layout, with nave only or nave and any
> number of aisles, with or without galleries, with one or three
>apses.
> In the early Christian period they are wooden roofed. (Some Roman
> aisleless basilicas, such as the Aula Palatina at Trier built by the
> emperor Constantine, were wooden roofed as well.) In the Middle
>Ages
> these basilicas become vaulted in masonry. Post-Roman basilicas are
> usually identified as churches only, but studies since World War II
>have
> brought to light in transalpine Europe all-purpose buildings, barns,
>and
> even royal halls, which qualify as basilicas in layout
> .
> The earliest Christians met in houses, as the Bible informs us. The
> earliest preserved house church (=domus ecclesiae) that is dated is
> located at Dura Europos, near the Euphrates in modern Syria, pre 256
> (probably 240s, as Carl Kraeling established in his monograph years
> ago). Some houses in the city or Rome became churches, or house
> churches (usually called tituli), though their dates are sometimes
>hard
> to pin down. An excellent survey of the archaeological evidence for
> these Roman house churches (usually a single hall, or aisle) can be
> found in Ross Holloway, Constantine and Rome (2004).
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
>From: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Christopher
> Crockett
> Sent: Friday, December 03, 2004 2:22 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [M-R] churches as houses
>
> medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and
> culture
>
>From: Charles Giguere <[log in to unmask]>
>
>> Sorry to betray my ignorance, but for what did the Romans use
>> basilicas, or
> basilica-like buildings, before Christians adopted the architectural
> style?
>
>
> to "house" their _basileus_ (when he was holding court) --like
> everything else Roman (except for the vault and cement) they stole
>the
> name and the idea from the Greeks.
>
> there's a nice late Roman _basilica_ still surviving at Spolato on
>the
> Adriatic.
>
> it has an aisled arcade and a semicircular nich ("apse)) at the
>Business
> End, but otherwise doesn't look too much like a Constantinian
>basilica.
>
> c
>
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