Answer:
Short Version: A basilica was originally used as Ancient Roman gathering places before they were adopted as Christian churches.
Explanation:
Long Version:
Basilicas are technically Roman architecture as well. They were originally used as gathering places for meetings, important democratic decisions, etc.
When Christianity was first made legal, the early Christians didn't have any churches to practice their religion, so they used the basilicas. Most modern churches today are modeled after the basilica of the Ancient TImes. Hope this helps a little bit!
