The Arch of Constantine was dedicated in 315 AD to commemorate the victory of Constantine over Maxentius at the the Batlle of Milvian Bridge (312 AD) for sole control of the Roman Empire in the west. This arch is the largest, and the last, remaining in Rome; other remaining imperial triumphant arches inclue the Arch of Titus and the Arch of Septimius Severus.
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| The Arch of Constantine |
Many of the decorative sculptures on the arch have been incorporated from other monuments; an example is the eight rectangular reliefs in the attic of the arch, which come from a monument erected to Marcus Aurelius in 176 AD. The pieces that were incorporated from other monuments and buildings would not have been chosen at random, but instead based on how applicable they were to Constantine's propaganda. On four of the roundels, as well as on the reliefs of Marcus Aurelius, the heads have been re-sculpted to represent Constantine. The artistry of this arch varies because of the contrast between the re-used reliefs from previous monuments and the later added sculptures of Constantine, which are softer and more delicate than their dominant counterparts. This arch works well as a visual progression of Roman art throughout the changing time periods. The commission of this arch was incredibly important and would have been considered a reflection of the best craftsmanship in Rome at that time.
The iconography on the arch is representative of the victories of the emperor and his success both in his career and everyday life. The main piece from the time of Constantine is the historical relief frieze running around the monument under the round panels. These reliefs depict scenes from Constantine's Italian campaign against Maxentius - the reason for the construction of the monument. The illustration starts on the western side with the army's departure from Milan and continues to the battle scenes on the southern, outward looking face. This side depicts the siege of Verona and the Battle of Milvian Bridge, showing Constantine's army victorious and Maxentius and his army drowning in the Tiber river. On the eastern side of the arch, Constantine and his army are shown on their victory march entering Rome. On the northern side, looking toward the city, are two strips that show the emperors actions after taking Rome; Constantine is shown speaking to the people on the Roman Forum and distributing money to the people.
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| Portion of the large frieze that wraps around the arch. This portion depicts Constantine's victory march into Rome. |
The 8 standing figures represent Dacian captives and likely date from the period from Domitian to Trajan - this is another example of re-use as these statues were likely taken from the forum of Trajan. Above the outside archways are pairs of round reliefs that date from the time of the emperor Hadrian (177 AD) that show the following scenes of hunting and sacrificing: the hunt of a boar, a sacrifice to apollo, the hunt of a lion, a sacrifice to Hercules, the hunt of a bear, a sacrifice to Diana. Once again, the faces on these reliefs of Hadrian have been replaced with Constantine's face.
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| Roundels from the time of Hadrian. Shown: hunt of a boar and sacrifice to Apollo |
There is a large inscription on the side of the arch, which would have originally been in bronze letters. These letters were likely removed during the Middle Ages when many monuments and buildings were stripped of their metal to be melted down and re-used. The inscription reads: "To the emperor Caesar Flavius Constantinus, the greatest, pious, and blessed Augustus: because he, inspired by the divine, and by the greatness of his mind, has delivered the state from the tyrant and all of his followers at the same time, with his army and just force of arms, the Senate and the People of Rome have dedicated this arch, decorated with triumphs". One piece of this inscription that is particularly interesting is its reference to Constantine's "inspiration by the divine". There is a story that has been relayed, that Constantine - before going into battle against Maxentius - had a vision from God that he would be victorious under the sign of heaven. Constantine then credited his victory to this message he received from the Christian God before his final fight. There is speculation that the reason this inscription is so vaguely worded, is that it is an effort to please everyone in Rome at the time. Constantine did not want to anger the Roman Senate; the fact that this inscription can be translated as a reference to the Christian God, or the more traditionally accepted sun god, left room for people to interpret it as they pleased. This is an important testament to the shift that was happening in Rome at that time.
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| Large inscription on the outside of the arch. |
The short inscriptions on the inside of the arch simply read "liberator of the city" and "founder of peace". Rome had endured a violent history of on-again-off-again civil wars for hundreds of years. Constantine is said to be the emperor that fought the final civil war, putting an end to this time of violence and unrest.
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