Basilica - a type of construction invented by the Greek?

  • Written by Portal Editor
  • Category: Definitions
  • Hits: 3924

Again and again questions or whole texts about cultural and ancient history of the Greeks and Romans reach us, sometimes they are surprising. Once a clearly recognizable basilica with an apse suddenly becomes a Greek gymnasium, because one probably does not want the rather ecclesiastical character of the basilica, then again it is an amphitheater, a bouleuterion and stadiums that are confusingly described as to be the same.

Gymnasion - once a place of physical exercise

  • Written by Portal Editor
  • Category: Definitions
  • Hits: 4018

If we talk of a modern gymnasium (high school) today, we usually have a higher education center in mind, which is attended by students from elementary school to high school graduation.

Opus caementitium - the Roman concrete

  • Written by Portal Editor
  • Category: Definitions
  • Hits: 8487

How could imposing buildings like the Pantheon in Rome or even the aqueducts to supply water to the Roman cities like in Aspendos or Side ever be constructed?

Basilica

The Latin  word basilica, was originally used to describe a Roman  public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas begin to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.