ARCHITECTURE. 65 
which was separated by a railing, and probably intended for the peculiar 
seat of the praetor. The columns, with the half columns against the walls, 
supported the roof in most basilicas. In some, however, there was a wall, 
pierced with windows, over the columns. The church of St. Paul outside 
the walls, St. Mary in Trastavere, St. Peter in Vincoli, give the best idea 
of the form and means of illumination of such basilicas. In front of the 
basilicas there were no porticoes reaching to the roof; and where columns 
were used, they were low, and formed the facade of the vestibule, which 
had no gable. There were often two tiers of columns in the basilicas, one 
over the other, with raised galleries. 
8. Bumpives ror Pustic Amusement. At this period the buildings for 
public amusement were much enlarged. We reckon here the theatres, am- 
phitheatres, the naumachia, and the circus. The plays were at first of reli- 
gious origin ; later they were regarded as methods of gaining popular favor, 
and became objects of the most extravagant expenditure and magnificence. 
The first play took place in Rome in the year 460 B.c., when, during a long, 
lingering pestilence, actors were summoned from Etruria to propitiate the 
gods. Earlier, there had been only combats in the circus. The actors 
amused the people with comical gestures and leaps, to the sound of flutes. 
Then verses were intermingled, and so gradually arose a kind of song-play, 
called Satyra. Livius Andronicus first connected the whole by a continuous 
story, which he caused to be sung with appropriate action, and hence arose 
the dialogue. Aimilius Lepidus built the first theatre, 178 years B.c., yet 
the sturdy Romans were so opposed to it that it was destroyed, as it was 
held unmanly to enjoy one’s self in a sitting posture. 
In the year 75 B. c. there was a convenient and even splendid theatre, 
erected with a velarium, or sun tent, to shield the spectators from the sun. 
The theatre which Scaurus, stepson of Sylla, erected 57 years B. c., seated 80,000 
people. Curio, 48 years B. c., built two wooden theatres close together, 
which turned on pivots. During the day they were turned away from each 
other and plays were performed in both; then, with all the spectators they 
were turned together and formed one amphitheatre, in which combats took 
place. Modern mechanics will hardly credit this story; but so great was 
the zeal to win popular favor by something striking and wonderful, that in 
Pompey’s theatre water was made to run down the aisles between the seats, 
in order to refresh spectators during the heat of summer. Behind the stage 
was a hall of columns to which the audience might retreat on occasion of a 
sudden shower. Julius Cesar also began the construction of a huge amphi- 
theatre of stone, which Augustus completed, and dedicated to the memory 
of his nephew Marcellus, son of his beloved sister Octavia. PJ. 14, jig. 
2, represents the amphitheatre of Flavius, the coliseum, partly in section, 
and jig. 3 half the ground plan, with the ground level on the right, and the 
staircases upon the left. We shall presently return to this theatre. 
The Naumachia were built like the amphitheatres, and contained so much 
water that ships could float and sail in them. Under the head of Naval 
Sciences we have spoken of these structures, and have there also represented 
such a Naumachia (Division VI. pl. 2, fig. 12). 
ICONOGRAPHIC ENCYCLOPZDIA.—VOL. IV. oO 65 
