ROMAN ARCHITECTURE—BAGGALLAY. 659 
modate the increasing legal business arising from her position as 
mistress of all Italy and suzerain of most of the known world. They 
were probably the first of the long line of public civil buildings which 
distinguish Roman architecture. Before their erection the Forum 
and the temples seem to have sufficed for all public business except 
ordinary meetings of the Senate, which took place in the Curia, itself, 
however, merely an old temple enlarged for the purpose.* Nothing 
remains of two of these basilicas, and even their sites are matters of 
controversy. One, the Basilica Aimilia, is pictured on a coin, where 
it is represented as a small two-storied porticus of columns, roofed, 
but with open sides. Professor Lanciani believes he has discovered 
its remains.” The earliest triumphal arches—three or four at least— 
were also built in this period; but again all we know for certain of 
their appearance or construction is that they were adorned with statues 
of gilt bronze. Two more bridges over the Tiber (there was already 
one) were also built, one of which was reputed to be the first stone 
bridge. But for some time the piers only were of stone, the arches 
not being added until 142 B. C., whether from lack of skill, or because 
there were superstitious objections to the use of anything but wood 
for bridges, is not clear. Meanwhile many Greek works of art and 
educated slaves were finding their way to Rome, and after 146 B. C., 
when Greece became a Roman province, we are told that Roman art 
and literature fell entirely under Greek influence. One could wish 
there were more evidence of the extent and effect of that influence 
on architecture, for the last century of the Republic was one of con- 
siderable building activity, and it would help greatly toward a com- 
prehension of the laws, if such there be, that govern architectural 
development if we had but a few well-authenticated remains of the 
many old temples rebuilt, and of the others and the public buildings 
erected in Rome and elsewhere in that century. But for temples we 
have to rely on a single small example, the so-called Temple of For- 
tuna Virilis at Rome, which, on the evidence of the building itself, 
is attributed to this time, probably correctly; and, for public build- 
ings, on the so-called Tabularium, the main evidence for the date of 
which is a little shaky, but is borne out by that of the structure; and 
finally, the lower part of the theater of Marcellus, which was begun 
by Julius Cesar. Of the Temple of Fortuna Virilis (or Fortuna 
simply) Doctor Middleton says:° “ What the real date of this very 
interesting building may be it is impossible to guess, except that it is 
probably earlier than the middle of the first century B. C. Its early 
date is indicated by its pure Hellenic style, free from any Roman 
ONoiviye WoO, and) SXeXaIe) 55; 
o “Architectural results of the latest excavations in the Forum at Rome,” by 
Professor Lanciani. [Journal R. I, B. A., 24th Nov., 1900.] 
© Remains, II, 190. 
