ARCH OF TITUS

Description

Essentials about the Arch of Titus in brief

The Arch of Titus is the oldest surviving triumphal arch of ancient Rome and one of three remaining imperial triumphal arches, along with the Arch of Constantine and the Arch of Septimius Severus. The single-gate triumphal arch stands at the highest point of Via Sacra, which leads from the Roman Forum to the Colosseum, and is part of the archaeological site of the Roman Forum.

The history of the Arch of Titus

The history of the Arc de Triomphe goes back to Titus, the son of Emperor Vespasian, who was sent to the province of Judea to put down an uprising of Jewish Zealots against the Roman occupation. In 70 AD, Titus conquered Jerusalem with four legions, and with the fall of the fortress of Masada in 72 AD, the rebellion was completely put down. In 79 AD Titus became emperor of the Roman Empire, but died just two years later. The popular emperor was soon after elevated to the status of god by the Roman Senate. Emperor Domitian, Titus’ brother and successor, commissioned the construction of the Arch of Titus in the same year, both to honor his brother and to commemorate the victory in the Jewish War. The arch was inaugurated in 85 AD with great festivities.

The architecture of the Arch of Titus

On the inside of the arch, 15 meters high, there are two panels with reliefs. One shows the triumphal procession with the spoils from the second Temple of Jerusalem – the menorah, the silver trumpets and the table of showbread. The other panel shows Titus in a chariot accompanied by the goddess Victoria and the goddess Roma. The original bronze inscription in the decorative strip reads “The Roman Senate and the people to the deified Titus, Vespasian Augustus, son of the deified Vespasian”. The reliefs were also colored and the arch was crowned by a bronze quadriga.

In the 11th century, the Arch of Titus was integrated into a fortress, built by the Frangipani family, which contributed to the preservation of the monument. From 1821 to 1823 the arch was restored. In this process, sections of the exterior were rebuilt in travertine instead of marble, so that it could be distinguished from the original. Last but not least, it should be mentioned that the Arch of Titus served as a model for the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.