Dictionary of Greek and Roman geography . hways,and thus served to form one of its sides. The basi-lica was called Ulpia from Trajans family plan of the middle part is now laid entirely seems to have been divided internally by four mwsof columns, thus fonning five aisles, with circularnbsides or chalcidica at each end. During the ex- ROMA. cavations the bases of these columns were discoveredpartly in their original situation. But it is doubtfulwhether the fragments of columns of gray granitenow seen there belonged to the interior of the basi-lica ; it is more probable that it
Dictionary of Greek and Roman geography . hways,and thus served to form one of its sides. The basi-lica was called Ulpia from Trajans family plan of the middle part is now laid entirely seems to have been divided internally by four mwsof columns, thus fonning five aisles, with circularnbsides or chalcidica at each end. During the ex- ROMA. cavations the bases of these columns were discoveredpartly in their original situation. But it is doubtfulwhether the fragments of columns of gray granitenow seen there belonged to the interior of the basi-lica ; it is more probable that it had columns ofginllo aniico and paonezzato, remains of which havebeen found (Nibby, For. Trajano, p. 353). Thefloor was paved with slabs of the same marbles. Itis supposed from the authority of two passages inPausanias to have had a bronze roof (v. 12, x. 5).On the side which faced the forum were three mag-nificent entrances, a large one in the middle and twosmaller on each side, decorated with columns, as maybe seen on medals. ROMA. 801. BASILICA ULPIA. On the K\V. side of the basilica stood, and stillstands, the Column of Trajan, the finest monumentof the kind in the world. This column was intendedto answer two purposes : to serve as a sepulchre forTrajan, and to indicate by its height the depth ofsoil excavated in order to make room for the forumand its buildings. The latter object is expressed bythe inscription, which runs as follows :— SENATVS . POPVLVSQVE . ROMANVS . IMP. CAESARI . DIVI . NERVAE . F. NERVAE TRAIANO . AVG. GERM. DACICO . PONTIF. MAXIMO . TRIE. POT. XVII. IMP. VI. COS. VI. P. P. AD . DECLARANDVM . QVANTAE . ALTITVDINIS MONS . ET . LOCVS . TANT[iS . OPERIjBVS . SIT [egestvs. (Cf. \ 13; Dion Cass. Ixviii. 16). Theheight of the column, including the pedestal, is 127|-English feet. The diameter at the base is between12 and 13 feet, and rather more than a foot less atthe top. The shaft consists of 19 cylindrical piecesof white marble, in which ste
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