2.  Erected to commemorate Constantine’s victory
over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge
 Awarded to Constantine by the Senate of Rome
 Dedicated in 315 A.D.
 Located between Colosseum and Palatine Hill

4.  Diocletian
 Maximian
 Constantius
 Galerius

5.  Born 285 at Naissus, Moesia
 Proclaimed emperor by troops at father’s death
in 306

6.  Galerius only granted him title of Ceasar
 Sided with Maxentius and Maximian in power
struggles

8.  Galerius dies
 Constantine allies with Licinius

11.  312 & 323

12.  Licinius defeated

13.  Arch of Titus
 Arch of Septimius Severus
 Arch of Constantine

14.  Most recent of the 3 remaining
triumphal arches in Rome
 Differs from the other 2 arches
by spoila - the re-use of parts of
earlier buildings on newer ones

15.  Modeled after the Arch of Septimius
Severus on the Roman Forum
 Structured with detached columns
and an attic (with main inscription
above)

16.  21m high
 25.9m wide
 7.4m deep

17.  Central archway: 11.5m high, 6.5m wide
 Lateral archways: 7.4m x 3.4m each

18.  Re-use of parts from earlier buildings
 Statues on top taken from the Forum of
Trajan
 Reliefs between the statues created for
Marcus Aurelius
 Roundels (8 medallions) and possibly the
arch itself from the emperor Hadrian’s
time

19.  Short time between start of
construction (312) and the
dedication (315)
 Artwork of 4th century Romans
not considered acceptable

20.  Top part of arch
 Brickwork and marble
 Main inscription above major archway, identical on
both sides
 Pairs of relief panels on each side above minor
archways (8 total) – taken from unknown monument in
honor of Marcus Aurelius

21.  North side from left to right:
 the emperors return to Rome after the campaign
(adventus)
 the emperor leaving the city and being saluted by a
personification of the Via Flaminia
 the emperor distributing money among the people
(largitio)
 the emperor interrogating a German prisoner

22.  South side from left to right
 A captured enemy chieftain led before the
emperor
 Another similar scene with other prisoners
 The emperor speaking to the troops
 The emperor sacrificing a pig, sheep and bull

23.  Identical on both sides
 Divided by 4 columns of Corinthian order made of
Numidian yellow marble
 Spandrels of the main archway depict victory figures
holding trophies
 Spandrels of the smaller archways depict river gods
 Column bases and spandrel reliefs are from the time
of Constantine
 Above each lateral archway are pairs of round reliefs
dated to the times of Hadrian displaying scenes of
hunting and sacrificing
 The head of the emperor in all medallions reworked

25.  North side left to right
 Hunt of a boar
 Sacrifice to Apollo
 Hunt of lion
 Sacrifice to Hercules
 South side left to right
 Departure for the hunt
 Sacrifice to Silvanus
 Hunt of a bear
 Sacrifice to Diana

26.  The head of the emperor in all medallions was
originally Hadrian but has been reworked into the head
of Constantine in the hunting scenes and either Licinius
or Constantius I in the sacrifice scenes on the north side
and vice versa on the south side

27.  Runs around monument under the round panels
 Depicts scenes from the Italian campaign of
Constantine against Maxentius
 Starts at western side with “Departure from Milan”
 Continues on southern, outward face with the “Siege
of Verona” and the “Battle of Milvian Bridge”
 On eastern side, Constantine and his army enter
Rome
 On the northern face: Constantine speaking to
citizens in the Forum Romanum and distributing
money

29.  Main inscriptions would have originally been of
bronze lettering
 Reads identically on both sides:
 “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 People of Rome have dedicated this
arch, decorated with triumphs.”
 2 short inscriptions on inner walls transport message
that Constantine came not as a conqueror but freed
Rome from occupation