One of the great symbols of ancient Rome is represented by these three huge barrel vaults, that all the visitors to the Roman Forum you can admire, or that the viewers of the Olympic games of 1960 came to know thanks to the fighting competitions, which here took place.

I'm talking about the remains of the so-called Basilica of Maxentius, the largest basilica in civil of Rome. Maxentius, the man who gave a great impulse to the urban planning in Rome in the early fourth century a.D., probably reused the environments of the Horrea Piperitaria (warehouses for spices), to realize this fantastic work of architecture. Named by the sources also as the Basilica Nova or Basilica of Constantine, this impressive building 100 meters long and 35 meters high) was built by Maxentius in the early fourth century a.D.. We know from recent surveys that the basilica became the headquarters of the Urban Prefecture of the Secretarium Senatus, the special court that dealt with the processes of the members of the Senate. Following the ordinary ancient roman culture based on the social popularity, an important man like Maxentius wanted to increase his popular support, in this case commissioning this magnificent civil building (a roman basilica was, in fact, a real court with lawyers and judges).

Only after the defeat of Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in the 312 a.D. by the hand of Constantine, the building will actually light. Own Constantine will indeed bring the end of the project, changing the name and changing some important details. As, for example, the great acrolito colossus (gigantic statue whose body parts were made with different materials) that Maxentius laid it on the great apse of one of the short sides of the building. Initially, the colossus had the features of Maxentius, but Constantine changed some of the traits making the statue to him similar! A beautiful example of recycling!

Today some of the huge marble pieces of the colossus are visible at the Capitoline Museums. To conclude, try to imagine: the three great times that were now part of one of the side walls, where a small aisle ran bordered by high columns. Exactly on the other side, the other three vaults stood, along the border of the building towards the Roman Forum. The huge central nave had four huge pillars which those undertakings shared the space, as you can see thanks to the map, while the different apses opening is on the long side and the short edge. The apse that opened up along one of the short sides, where the colossus of Constantine stood. It's a pity that today there are not many remains of the original building, either due to naturale events (probably an earthquake in the middle of the IX century caused the collapse of entire portions of walls), either for the simple time passing, remembering that the basilica would have today about 1700 years. Is it right to add, also, that the interior plaster decorations and bronze elements, that made the shining and magnificent in the external environment and the interior were, as in common use in Rome post empire, were re-used for other uses and for other buildings. For example, the gilded bronze sheets of the roof were re-used by Pope Honorius I in 626 a.D., for the St Peter's Basilica. However, the Basilica of Maxentius was a building made of curved and straight lines, decorations, and light, that made the building impressive even for the high standard of the ancient Romans. After all, to see this great basilica, cannot help but think that it is true that the Romans liked to think big...