It is a common view that Constantine chose to build the Lateran basilica and baptistery in a peripherical position in Rome, far removed from public buildings in the city center, in order not to offend the pagan aristocracy. The aim of this paper is not to answer the question “why”, but rather to discuss categories like “public”, “private” and “temple” in the context of the fourth century church building in Rome, with a special attention to the case of the Lateran complex.
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