The Basilica Aemilia, constructed in 179 BCE in the Roman Forum, was a prominent public building that served judicial, administrative, and commercial purposes. Built by the censors Marcus Aemilius Lepidus and Marcus Fulvius Nobilior, it underwent several reconstructions, most notably during the late Republic and under Augustus. The basilica featured a rectangular layout with a central nave flanked by double aisles and adorned with Corinthian columns.

Its facade and interior showcased intricate reliefs and polychrome marble flooring, reflecting the architectural and artistic sophistication of the late Republican and early Imperial periods. The structure also integrated tabernae (shops), highlighting its multifunctional role in Rome's civic life. Damaged during the Visigothic sack of Rome in 410 CE, its remains provide valuable insights into the evolution of Roman basilicas and their significance in urban and social contexts.

As a public building, the Basilica Aemilia was mainly a place for business and meetings. The south-portico hosted the so called tabernae novae, i.e. new shops, and a market place, but the building was also used for money lending. Politicians and tax collectors gathered here for their business.

circa 500 BCE- 410 CE

Roman Republic Period
Earliest known structures, dating back to the 5th century BCE, on the site of the basilica were the tabernae lanienae (butchers' shops). Sometime during the 4th century BCE the area suffered heavy damage due to fire, and the shops were rebuilt, and became the offices of the money changers (tabernae argentariae). During this period the shops were named tabernae novae, literally meaning the "new shops". At the time the shops-square had two facing rows of shops.

Plautus, a playwright of the Old Latin period, mentions that sometime between 210 and 195-191 BCE first basilica was constrcuted behind the shops facing the Forum square. Archaeological studies have shown that this basilica comprised three naves paved with tuff from Monteverde, the back façade having a portico which opened to the Forum Piscatorium and the Macellum (the area later occupied by the Forum of Nerva).

Constrcution on the current basilica was started in 179 BCE by censor Marcus Fulvius Nobilior. At the time Basilica Fulvia was named the Basilica Fulvia. However, Marcus Fulvius Nobilior died before the constrcution of the basilica was finished. The building was completed by his colleague Marcus Aemilius Lepidus giving the basilica its current name. At the time it was a single-story structure featuring a central nave and two aisles on either side, constructed using tuff, a volcanic rock, and travertine limestone sourced from Tivoli.

Subsequently, it was frequently restored and redecorated by the members of the Aemilian gens. The 78 BCE another consul of Rome, also called Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, embellished it with the clipei or clipeatae ("shields"). This intervention is recalled in a coin from 61 BCE by his son, the triumvir Marcus Aemilius Lepidus. Some scholars, however, have interpreted that the Basilica Aemilia formed a different edifice from the early second century BCE Basilica Fulvia.

The construction on a new edifice built by Lepidus Paullus on the of the earlier "Basilica Fulvia" was begun in 55 BCE by Lucius Aemilius Lepidus Paullus. This edifice had similar lines to the preceding one; however with a reduced length and a second nave in lieu of the back portico. Plutach notes that around the time (circa 50/49 BCE), when Julius Caesar was declared dictator, he commissioned a new edifice (remains of which are visible today) at the site of the previous basilica, and gave fifteen hundred talents to the consul Lucius Aemilius Lepidus Paullus rebuild and embellish the famous Basilica. This building was inaugurated by Lepidus Paullus' son in 34 BCE.

Roman Empire
The edifice was heavily restored by emperor Augustus Octavian in 14 BCE, when a fire destroyed much of the existing basilica building. Around the same time the tabernae (shops/offices) which faced towards the square of the Roman Forum and the portico were totally rebuilt. The rebuilt portico was dedicated to the emperor's two grandsons, Gaius and Lucius. The porticus had two orders of arcades with pilasters and Doric semi-columns. The two upper floors of the basilica were totally rebuilt. Over the upper order an attic was built, decorated with vegetable motifs and statues of barbarians.

In 22 CE the basilica restored and embellished again on its two-hundredth anniversary. Writing in the mid-first century CE, Pliny the Elder notes, the basilica to be one of the most beautiful buildings in Rome. It was a place for business and, in the porticus of Gaius and Lucius (dedicated to the grandsons of Augustus Octavian) fronting the square of the Roman Forum, there were the tabernae novae. The main hall of the basilica (measuring approx 100 meters long and 29.9 meters deep) was located behind the shops.

In 410 CE, as a result of the Visigothic invation, the basilica and the new shops were among the buildings destroyed by fire. On the colored marble floor one still can see the green stains of bronze coins from the early fifth century CE that melted in the fire. About ten years after the Visigothic sacking of Rome, the basilica was rebuilt after the fire by adding a new floor while the central part of the front porch was replaced by a portico. The replaced columns of pink granite on bases were much more dense than the pillars of the porch above.

Early Middle Ages
An earthquake in 847 CE caused the final collapse of the remaining structure standing at the time. The remains were scavanged and used as building material for other buildings elsewhere.

Renaissance
Conspicuous remains of the basilica could still be seen in the Renaissance period (circa 1350-1650 CE), they were however used for the construction of Palazzo Giraud Torlonia.

Modern Period
Modern excavations of the Basilica Aemilia in the Roman Forum have revealed critical insights into its architectural and functional evolution since its initial construction in 179 BCE. Systematic archaeological campaigns in the 20th and 21st centuries uncovered remnants of its final iteration, dating to the late 1st century BCE under Augustus. Key findings include fragments of the polychrome marble floor, which exhibited geometric patterns and attested to the basilica's opulence, as well as portions of its brick-faced concrete walls and colonnades. The recovery of coin impressions fused into the marble floor—dating from the sack of Rome by the Visigoths in 410 CE—provides tangible evidence of the city's dramatic history. Excavations have also clarified the basilica's function as a center for commercial and judicial activity, with traces of tabernae (shops) found along its periphery. Recent studies have emphasized the role of the basilica in reflecting the shifting socio-political dynamics of the late Republican and early Imperial periods.

circa circa 179 BCE- 410 CE

The Basilica Aemilia, originally constructed in 179 BCE by censors Marcus Aemilius Lepidus and Marcus Fulvius Nobilior, was a prime example of Roman architectural ingenuity adapted to civic functions. Its layout followed the traditional basilica form, consisting of a rectangular plan with an open central nave flanked by double aisles separated by rows of Corinthian columns. The façade, reconstructed a number of during the late Republic and early Imperial periods, was adorned with decorative reliefs and incorporated an arcade system, reflecting both aesthetic refinement and practical design for urban spaces. The building was constructed primarily using tuff and travertine, later supplemented with polychrome marble during its Augustan renovation, emphasizing Rome's shift toward monumental architecture to reflect imperial power.

In its south-east corner the basilica had a covered or roofed part that jutted out some seven and a quarter meters. It is an architectural feature unique to Basilica Aemilia.

The basilica's upper galleries (maeniana) provided additional space for spectators and merchants, highlighting its dual function as a judicial and commercial hub. The flooring, particularly notable in its Augustan phase, consisted of intricate polychrome marble inlays arranged in geometric patterns, showcasing Roman advancements in opus sectile techniques. Adjacent tabernae (shops) along its south wall integrated into the basilica's structure were accessible from both the interior and the surrounding forum, reflecting the multifunctional nature of such public buildings. Despite its destruction in the Visigothic sack of Rome in 410 CE, the architectural remnants continue to inform studies of Roman basilicas' evolution and their role in the civic and economic life of the Forum.

circa circa 179 BCE- 410 CE

Frieze
The Basilica Aemilia Frieze is a sculpted frieze made of Pentelic marble, discovered during excavations in the Forum Romanum. It consists of over 280 fragments, originally intended to encircle the entire nave of the basilica, which measures 184 meters in length. However, only 22 meters of the frieze have survived. The frieze is connected to the legend of Romulus and the foundation of Rome, although there is no consensus on its exact date of execution due to the reuse of plaques in later building phases.