Walthew, Christopher V.

About the author: Christopher Walthew studied Classics and Classical Archaeology at Cambridge University, completing a Doctorate on Roman urbanization. He held lectureships in Classics at the New University of Ulster and University College Dublin, and has published articles on Roman architecture and urban planning.

Metrological Study of the Early Roman Basilicas

2002 0-7734-7230-4
This book presents the first systematic and detailed discussion of the planning of Roman basilicas during the late Republic and early Empire, from the second century BC to second century AD. Basilicas were buildings of major economic, political and religious significance in Roman civic life. The clarity and coherence of their designs makes them ideal subjects for metrological analysis – scrutiny of the dimensions with which they were laid out. The core of the book, based on extensive fieldwork in Italy and the most recent archaeological research, is a meticulous examination of 35 basilicas drawn from Italy and the western Roman provinces, supported by numerous plans, tables, and a wide-ranging bibliography. The conclusion highlights for the first time the carefully formulated set of principles and proportions with which Roman architects designed buildings of this type. This study is a major new contribution to the history of Roman architecture and planning. With many illustrations.