File:Architecture, classic and early Christian (1888) (14792748053).jpg

Identifier: architectureclas00smituoft (find matches)
Title: Architecture, classic and early Christian
Year: 1888 (1880s)
Authors: Smith, Thomas Roger, d 1903 Slater, John
Subjects:
Publisher: London : Sampson Low
Contributing Library: Kelly - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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rs isthe position of the altar, or communion table, and that ofthe Bishops chair, or throne. In the classic basilica theapse was the tiibunal, and a raised seat Avith a tesselatedpavement occupied the central position in it, and Avas thejustice-seat of the presiding judge; and in the SAveep ofthe apse, seats right and left, at a lower elevation, Avereprovided for assessors or assistant-judges. In front of thepresident Avas placed a small altar. The Avhole of thesearrangements Avere copied in the basilica churches. Theseat of the president became the bishops throne, the seatsfor assessors Avere appropriated to the clergy, and thealtar retained substantially its old position in front of theapse, generally Avith a canopy erected over it. This dis-position continues in basilica churches to the present day. BASILICAS. 205 At St. Peters in Ttomo, for example, the Tope occupies athrone in the middle of the apse, and says mass with hisface turned towards the con;j;reatiou at the high £,ltar,
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Fio. 157.—Sant Apolun-are, Ravenna. Paut of tuk Arcade and Apse. Avuich stands in front of his throne under a vast baldac-cliino or canopy; but in Western Christendom generallya change has been made,—the altar has been phiced in the 206 EARLY CHRISTIAN ARCHITECTURE. apse -where the Lisliops throne formerly stood, find thethrone of the Li-shop and stalls of his clergy have beendisidaced, and are to he found at the sides of the choir orpreshytery. Many hasilica clinrches were erected out of fragmentstaken from older Luildings, and present a curious mix-ture of columns, capitals. Arc.; others, especially those atEavenna, exhibit more caie, and are noble specimens ofancient and severe architectural work. The illustiation■which we give of part of the nave, arcade, and apse of oneof these, Sant ApoUinare in Classe, sliows the dignifiedyet crmite aspect of one of tlie most carefully executed ofthese buikhngs (Fig. 157). In some of these churclies the decorations are chieflyin mosaic, a

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