The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1922-04-20

mains
When these temples were taken pos.
session of by the Christians, a church
was erected over this altar, part Of
which was destroyed and then the
space leveled up with the earth so that
the church floor was above the top Of
the altar; 50, also, the lower part Of +
the staircase was filled over, while the
upper part was removed to accommo-
date the apses.
Attributed to Theodosius.
The construction of this basilica Is
attributed to TheodOsius, Roman EN-.
peror of the East, who reigned towards
the end of the Fourth century OF our
era. The Great temple was demolished
to furnish materials for the c0nstruc.
tion Of this church.
The Great Temple itself has been al.
most entirely destroyed. All that Is
left are six columns of the perlstyle,
still standing In their original places,
capped with Corinthian capitals and
Joined by ornate and massive entabla'
ture. These lofty pillars do not taper
as they appear to do when seen from
below. They are over 60 feet high and
~ feet in diameter and are each COM
posed Of three drums.
One can perhaps best mentally re-
construct the Great Temple by an m
spectiOn of the smaller one, dedicated
to Bacchus, which lies to the south
east of the Great Temple, entirely in
dependent of it and on a lower level.
The walls Of the main enclosure or
celia, which is oblong, are quite plain
on the outside and are built Of care
fully dressed stone, the joints SO per-
feet that a knife-blade cannot enter
between. Around this at distance OF
10 feet runs on the two sides and ends
row of smooth columns which forms
the peristyle.
These, including their capitals, are
about 81 feet high and are surmounted
by a magnificent entablature. Thls en-
tablature is connected with the walls OF
the celia by enormous slabs OF stone
which are deliberately carved with the
heads of emperors deities, and inter-
woven with floral designs, forming an
exquisite ceiling. :.
The door posts are elegantly carved
with figures Of Bacchus, fauns, cuplds,
satyrs and bacchantes, woven around
which are grape vines and clusters OF
fruit, also peoples and ears of wheat
all Of which are symbo'ical Of the
attributes of the reveling god to whom
the temple is dedicated.
Great Doorway as Feet nlgh'
This great doorway, which dwarls
the human figure, stands 43 feet hleh
and PIN feet wide, while the carving
of the posts Just mentioned covers y
space about 6 feet wide. On ootn
sides of this door stand graceful tlutea
columns, forming the prostyle or pot'
tico while the plain ones of the peri
style, which stand behind Them seem
to reflect their beauty.
The decorations Of the walls OF tne
interior of this temple resemble tne
carvings Of the exedrae Of the great
court. having two rows Of inches 1ot
statues one above the other and o.
yided perpendicularly from each otnef
, by engaged futed columns
As already mentioned, these ten''
ples stood on raised platform resi-
, inc on substructures. The great TEN.
, ple lies 441s feet above the lever =.
! the plain and is the highest part y.
+ the entire Enclosure, while the graz
: court was only @ feet lower.
An Enclosing wall, the mammo'.
q stones of which have been the mal'e'
of engineers for ages, deserves men''ol'
s The lowest courses are built OF slonsa
g Of moderate dimensions, but wnlcnn
t grow rapidly in size until we come :, ~
. row of three enormous stones u. y
( shortest being 60 feet and the LONGS.
|, G5 in length, and each being aoou'
$ Is feet high and 10 feet 'H''n.
r The course of which they form pa''
e IS some 20 feet above the surface Oh '''
ground. l..
$. They are the largest building olo'N.
r. ever known to havelboen used by 'h'D
It and a still larger one lies in the a. a..
If cient nearby quarry, never having u W, :.
v detached from the rock beneath in.,
h, one is 20 feet long by II by 10 low