The Forum and Basilica of Septimius Severus
The Layout of the Imperial Forum of Leptis Magna
Aug 8, 2009
On his ascension to the imperial throne, Septimius Severus wanted to honour the city of his birth with a programme of building works that would stand as testament to its wealth and power as one of the foremost cities of Roman Africa. The pinnacle of that building programme was a new forum and basilica which achieved a scale of grandeur on par with Rome herself.
The Forum of Septimius Severus and the Severan Temple
The new forum of Septimius Severus eclipsed the city’s original Roman forum in terms of scale and grandeur. A walled structure, it was 100m by 60 metres and consisted of tall arcaded porticos on three sides, housing shops and cauponas, with a massive temple to the Severan family on its fourth side.
The porticos were constructed from columned arches of green and white striped cipolin marble topped with white pentelic marble. This was the same type of marble used to construct the Parthenon. Each arch was topped with medallions of gorgons and scyllae. No two wore the same facial expression.
On the north side, built against the external wall was a temple probably dedicated to the Severan family. Today, the temple is all but gone but archaeologists have been able to determine its structure from the remains scattered around the forum. The podium bearing the temple building was 5.95m above the paved square and reached by 27 steps. It dominated the whole forum. The temple was constructed from columns of red Aswan granite, holding up a white marble architrave carved with reliefs depicting the fight between men and giants.
Aside from the temple, many of the porticos and other features of the forum lie in ruins today. The exception is the basilica, once the political centre of Leptis Magna. It lies directly opposite the Severan Temple where it can still be entered through the remaining portico.
The Basilica of Leptis Magna
Modelled on the basilica of Trajan’s forum, the basilica of Leptis Magna was a massive building of 92m long, 38m wide and 30.5 m high. Its rectangular interior was divided into 3 naves and two apses, divided by columns of red Egyptian granite. The architrave that ran above the columns was inscribed, recording the buildings inception under Septimius Severus and completion by his son Caracalla in 206 AD.
The apses, located at either end of the main hall, are still marked out today by their beautifully carved flanking columns. The pillars of the north apse were carved with scenes from the myths of Dionysus while the south apse depicted the labours of Hercules.
Initially the town’s major public and political building, the basilica became a Christian church in the 4th century AD. An altar was added to the south apse, with a baptistery and pool added to an adjacent room. A pulpit was situated to the central nave. A women’s gallery was also added, reached by a staircase in one of the apse walls.
Sources:
Leptis Magna by Oriana Dal Bosca (2004). Ananke: Italy
 |
