an three times nor less than twice as long
as it is broad. If the site oblige the length to be greater, the surplus is
to be cut off to form what he calls _chalcidica_, by which must be meant
open vestibules. The interior is divided into a central space and side
aisles one-third the width of this. The ground plan of the basilica at
Pompeii (fig. 1) illustrates this description, though the superstructure
did not correspond to the Vitruvian scheme. The columns between nave and
aisles, Vitruvius proceeds, are the same height as the width of the latter,
and the aisle is covered with a flat roof forming a terrace (_contignatio_)
on which people can walk. Surrounding this on the inner side is a
breastwork or parapet (_pluteum_), which would conceal these promenaders
from the view of the merchants in the basilica below. On the top of this
parapet stood the upper row of columns, three-quarters as high as the lower
ones. The spaces between these columns, above the top of the _pluteum_,
would be left free for the admission of light to the central space, which
was covered by a roof called by Vitruvius (v. 1. 6) _mediana testudo_.
Nothing is said about a permanent tribunal or about an apse.

[Illustration: FIG. 1.--Basilica at Pompeii. 1, Portico (Chalcidicum); 2,
hall of basilica; 3, aisles; 4, altar; 5, tribunal; 6, offices.]

How far existing remains agree with the Vitruvian scheme will be seen as we
proceed. We have now to consider the derivation of the word "basilica," the
history of the form of building, and its architectural scheme as
represented in actual relics.

The word "basilica" is a Latinized form of the Greek adjective [Greek:
basilike], "royal," and some feminine substantive, such as _domus_, or
_stoa_, must be understood with it. A certain building at Athens, wherein
the [Greek: archon basileus] transacted business and the court of the
Areopagus sometimes assembled, was called [Greek: basileios stoa], and it
is an accredited theory, though it is by no means proved, that we have here
the origin of the later basilica. It is difficult to see why this was
called "royal" except for some special but accidental reason such as can in
this case be divined. There are other instances in which a term that
becomes specific has been derived from some one specimen accidentally
named. "Labyrinth" is one case in point, and "basilica" may be another. It
is true that we do not know what was the shape of the King Archon's
portico, bu