Triumphal arches were generally erected to commemorate the victories of Roman generals. Following their construction, the generals were often granted a "triump" - a celebratory procession passing beneath the arch - as a ceremony honoring their victory. During Rome's imperial era, these arches were usually restricted to the honoring of emperors and were decorated with scultures depicting the emperor's conquests.
Triumphal arches were generally built straddling the route of the triumphal procession - the route taken by the general and his army during their march back into Rome after a victory. The Arch of Constantine was built oriented with the road, but not centered on it, because of the topography of the land during its construction. The area around this arch would have been one of the most heavily trafficked areas in the city because of its relative location.
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| Map showing the relative location of the Arch. It was at the center of the area that encompassed much of daily Roman life. |
There are nearly 40 ancient Roman arches in one form or another in the former empire. These arches have inspired imitations around the world, like the Washington Arch in Manhattan. The triumphal arches worked as models for Renaissance architects, and their structures and details are still used in twenty-first century architecture and design.
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| Washington Arch in Manhattan |
There is some discrepancy, archeologically, as to when this arch was actually constructed. According to an article that was published by the Archeological Institute of America, there is some evidence that the arch was built before the time of Constantine, and then simply rededicated to him in 315. One reason for this is that there is evidence of an ancient law, that would not have allowed for an arch commemorating a civil war, a victory won against a domestic foe, to be erected. There is also a catalog of buildings issued in 334 that states the latest arch as that built in 303 AD - the triumphant arch of Diocletian. The theory behind this discrepancy is that the arch was actually built for Domitian, an emperor of Rome in 90 AD. After Domitian's assassination, the Roman Senate declared a damnatio memoraie, meaning that all of his public monuments would have been mutilated or destroyed.
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| Fragments from a surviving statue of Domitian. Most of his monuments would have been destroyed following the declaration of his damnatio memoraie. |
It is difficult to tell exactly when construction of the arch began because of the re-use of pieces from older monuments and buildings. Works of restoration on the arch began in the 18th century and the last excavations have taken place in the 1990's. The arch serves as an impressive historical artifact, as well as a reminder of the unity of the Roman Empire during Constantine's rule. It is likely that one of the reasons this arch has been so well-preserved is its significance as a symbol of Christianity. It is a symbol of the rise of Christianity and, because of this, is an important monument to the Christian faith and its people.
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