07_07_09_Arch of Constantine

ROMAN FORUM The Arch of Constantine

The Arch of Constantine was built in honor of Constantine. It’s victory over Emperor Maxentius in 312 A.D. It was built using brick, marble and many parts taken from older monuments. The Arch was erected between Palatine Hill and the Coliseum and was previously part of the Via Triumphalis. This was the route that emperors would take through the city of Rome when returning triumphantly from battle. The Arch’s base was built using marble blocks and was taken from a previous monument believed to be built during the emperor Hadrian’s reign. The Arch consists of three archways with the middle one being the tallest. Above each of the smaller archways are circular reliefs also dating back to the days of Emperor Hadrian. The faces on these reliefs were actually changed to look like Constantine because they previously had been the face of Hadrian. The Arch is divided by four columns made of Numidian yellow marble; one has been transferred to a museum and has been replaced with white marble. On top of each column is a statue of a Dacian prisoner believed to be taken from the Forum of Trajan. I chose the Arch of Constantine as my journal entry because I found it interesting that most of the parts used to build the Arch were taken from previous monuments. I wonder if this was done due to a time constraint or a lack of creativity at the time, like many historians believe. I also chose this work because I found it fascinating that the Romans built Arches to celebrate the triumphs of their emperors. People actually built monuments celebrating the deaths and concurring of people!
Shaine Nudel, Survey of Art and Architecture in Italy, University of Florida