Abstract
It is well known that Roman basilicas served various public and administrative functions. The construction of the Basilica Nova, now known as the Basilica of Maxentius, was emblematic within the building programme of the emperor Maxentius (306–312 A.C.). Typologically, the building exploited several characteristics of Roman architecture (bath buildings, basilica halls, etc.), reinterpreting and combining them in a successful and original structural whole. The enormous potential offered by the extreme sophistication of Roman imperial building techniques was exploited to create the largest building covered with a system of vaults in the entire empire. The dimensions of the Basilica were 90 × 65 m (about 6,000 m 2 ), with the central nave alone occupying 83 × 25 m.
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Giavarini, C. (2010). The Basilica of Maxentius and Its Construction Materials. In: Dan, M.B., Přikryl, R., Török, Á. (eds) Materials, Technologies and Practice in Historic Heritage Structures. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2684-2_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2684-2_12
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