Arch of Constantine
Quick Facts:
- The arch was dedicated on July 25, 315 on the 10th anniversary of Constantine’s reign
- It stands 21 meters high and 25.6 meters wide
- It is made of grey and white Proconnesian marble
- The Corinthian columns are made of Numidian yellow marble
- It is the newest of the three remaining arches in Rome. The older two are located in the Forum
- It is located on the Via Triumphalis
- Most of the sculptures on the arch were pried off other monuments and adhered to this arch so the arch could be completed before Constantine and his deadly army arrived back in town.
The imposing Arch of Constantine was built in honour of the Emperor Constantine, in 315 CE. It was built in commemoration of the victory he gained over the army of Maxentius; who happened to be his brother-in-law. The battle on October 28, 312, took place at Milvian Bridge which is a stone bridge that carried the Via Flaminia Road over the Tiber River, in the northern part of Rome. The soldiers in the army of Maxentius were being slaughtered all around him. Maxentius drowned in the Tiber, either while trying to escape or having been thrown from his horse. His body was fished out of the river by Constantine’s army and his head cut off, which seemed to be common practice during these wars. Constantine took the severed head back to Rome and paraded it around town for everyone to see. When the parading was over, he shipped it to Carthage, a city in Tunisia, so the Africans would no longer resist his power. (Africa was part of the Roman Empire at the time.) It is for this celebration of barbaric war, that this arch was built!
The arch has a great artistic interest as it may be called a Palimpsest of ancient Roman art, being the monument in which decorations taken from earlier buildings were used for the first time. (Palimpsest means: scraped clean and used again.) This method of pilfering was a quick and easy way to decorate this monument. The stolen parts of his monument assume new meanings within the context of the monument as each sculpture celebrates the victory of Constantine.
All the rectangular bas-relief panels, on the upper part of the arch were taken from the Arch of Marcus Aurelius (c.176 CE). The round medallions were taken from a monument in honour of Hadrian (130-138 CE). In reality, who in Rome was going to even try to stop Constantine’s men from the stealing the stuff from around town? No one, as each enjoyed having their head still attached to their body!
All the other bas-reliefs belong to the period of Constantine; in these it is noticed how Roman art and taste had declined in the period of this Emperor. The eight, yellow, Corinthian columns were taken from a first century Flavian monument.
Independently from the artistic interest, the monument has still greater religious importance from the inscription’s on each side of the attic which, in translations, reads: The S.P.Q.R have dedicated this triumphal arch to Constantine because by the will of God and by his own virtue, etc. he has liberated the country from the tyrant Maxentius and his faction. In these words, many archaeologists see a clear allusion to the apparition of the cross, which Constantine experienced while he was in Gaul, which determined the Emperor to march against Maxentius. If so, as there is every reason to believe, the arch has a great value of being the first monument of Imperial Rome in which the name of God is officially mentioned. (What to see in Rome, Paglia, 1938)
It is probably not accidental that this arch is situated almost beside the Basilica of Maxentius which Constantine confiscated and made his own after the glorious victory at Milvian Bridge. The arch spans the Via Triumphalis, which is the route taken by the Emperors when they entered the city in triumph. All victorious Emperors marched to the Temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill. Constantine marched through this arch directly to the pagan Temple of Jupiter even though by this time he had made Christianity legal. (An interesting little twist don’t you think?)
The historical relief frieze running around the monument under the round panels is from the time of Constantine and depicts scenes from his battles. It starts on the western side, with the departure from Milan. It continues on the southern, with the siege of Verona, which was of great importance in the war in Northern Italy. Also on that face is the Battle of Milvian Bridge, with Constantine’s army victorious, and showing the drowning of Maxentius in the Tiber River. On the eastern side, Constantine and his army are seen entering Rome. On the northern face, looking towards the city, are two strips with the Emperor’s actions after taking possession of Rome; the first being Constantine speaking to the citizens on the Forum Romanum, and the second, distributing money to the people. (Some Emperor’s liked to buy their friends.) On the top of the Arch are large sculptures representing Dacians. We saw Dacians at Trajan’s column.
The arch was used during the summer Olympics in 1960, for peaceful, athletic triumph, as runners raced through the finish line for the marathon event.
A little-bit about Constantine:
Although Constantine had been exposed to Christianity by his mother Helena, there is no consensus among scholars as to whether he adopted his mother’s Christianity in his youth or gradually over the course of his life. In 312, he converted to Christianity but he wasn’t baptized until on his death bed in 337. Even though the Arch was built in 315, which was after his conversion, it has no Christian symbolism on it. Instead it depict sacrifices to four pagan gods. At the same time however, we must remember that the artists pilfered the relief sculptures from others sources and incorporated them into this monument and there was only pagan sculptures available for stealing. It is from the time of Constantine’s conversion that we see a transformation in Roman art and architecture. Christians were no longer persecuted, but the pagans were!
On another note, it is easy to be confused about Constantine as there were two of them: Constantine the Great, who ruled from 312 to 337, and his son Constantine II who ruled from 337 to 340.
Why were the early Christians persecuted?
Refusing to participate in Imperial Cults was considered an act of treason and punishable by execution. The Imperial Cult identified Emperors and some family members with the divinely sanctioned authority of the Roman State; which basically turned them into gods. People of the empire were supposed to worship their Emperor as equally as they worshiped the pagan gods who insured the safety and prosperity in daily life. Christians refused to worship the Emperor and instead followed and worshiped Christ. Christians were more interested in eternal life than they were in daily life or the prosperity of the Emperor. This made the emperor angry and caused many Christians to be fed to the lions, burned at the stake, tied to an anchor and thrown overboard into the Black Sea, and other horrid methods of death.
The most widespread official persecution was carried out by Diocletian, who was Roman Emperor from 284 to 305. He ordered Christian buildings and the homes of Christians to be torn down and their sacred books collected and burned. Christians were arrested, tortured, mutilated, burned, starved, and condemned to gladiatorial contests to amuse spectators. Gladiator contests meant that the Christian would have to fight to save their life in front of 80,000 spectators. (Just another day at the office...)
The Great Persecution officially ended in April 311, when Galerius, senior Emperor of the Tetrarchy, issued a decree of toleration, which granted Christians the right to practice their religion, though it did not restore any property to them.
One of the worst Emperors in the dealings with Christians was Nero. He was known to capture Christians, dip them in oil, then set them on fire in his garden at night as a source of light during his elaborate parties.
The arch has a great artistic interest as it may be called a Palimpsest of ancient Roman art, being the monument in which decorations taken from earlier buildings were used for the first time. (Palimpsest means: scraped clean and used again.) This method of pilfering was a quick and easy way to decorate this monument. The stolen parts of his monument assume new meanings within the context of the monument as each sculpture celebrates the victory of Constantine.
All the rectangular bas-relief panels, on the upper part of the arch were taken from the Arch of Marcus Aurelius (c.176 CE). The round medallions were taken from a monument in honour of Hadrian (130-138 CE). In reality, who in Rome was going to even try to stop Constantine’s men from the stealing the stuff from around town? No one, as each enjoyed having their head still attached to their body!
All the other bas-reliefs belong to the period of Constantine; in these it is noticed how Roman art and taste had declined in the period of this Emperor. The eight, yellow, Corinthian columns were taken from a first century Flavian monument.
Independently from the artistic interest, the monument has still greater religious importance from the inscription’s on each side of the attic which, in translations, reads: The S.P.Q.R have dedicated this triumphal arch to Constantine because by the will of God and by his own virtue, etc. he has liberated the country from the tyrant Maxentius and his faction. In these words, many archaeologists see a clear allusion to the apparition of the cross, which Constantine experienced while he was in Gaul, which determined the Emperor to march against Maxentius. If so, as there is every reason to believe, the arch has a great value of being the first monument of Imperial Rome in which the name of God is officially mentioned. (What to see in Rome, Paglia, 1938)
It is probably not accidental that this arch is situated almost beside the Basilica of Maxentius which Constantine confiscated and made his own after the glorious victory at Milvian Bridge. The arch spans the Via Triumphalis, which is the route taken by the Emperors when they entered the city in triumph. All victorious Emperors marched to the Temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill. Constantine marched through this arch directly to the pagan Temple of Jupiter even though by this time he had made Christianity legal. (An interesting little twist don’t you think?)
The historical relief frieze running around the monument under the round panels is from the time of Constantine and depicts scenes from his battles. It starts on the western side, with the departure from Milan. It continues on the southern, with the siege of Verona, which was of great importance in the war in Northern Italy. Also on that face is the Battle of Milvian Bridge, with Constantine’s army victorious, and showing the drowning of Maxentius in the Tiber River. On the eastern side, Constantine and his army are seen entering Rome. On the northern face, looking towards the city, are two strips with the Emperor’s actions after taking possession of Rome; the first being Constantine speaking to the citizens on the Forum Romanum, and the second, distributing money to the people. (Some Emperor’s liked to buy their friends.) On the top of the Arch are large sculptures representing Dacians. We saw Dacians at Trajan’s column.
The arch was used during the summer Olympics in 1960, for peaceful, athletic triumph, as runners raced through the finish line for the marathon event.
A little-bit about Constantine:
Although Constantine had been exposed to Christianity by his mother Helena, there is no consensus among scholars as to whether he adopted his mother’s Christianity in his youth or gradually over the course of his life. In 312, he converted to Christianity but he wasn’t baptized until on his death bed in 337. Even though the Arch was built in 315, which was after his conversion, it has no Christian symbolism on it. Instead it depict sacrifices to four pagan gods. At the same time however, we must remember that the artists pilfered the relief sculptures from others sources and incorporated them into this monument and there was only pagan sculptures available for stealing. It is from the time of Constantine’s conversion that we see a transformation in Roman art and architecture. Christians were no longer persecuted, but the pagans were!
On another note, it is easy to be confused about Constantine as there were two of them: Constantine the Great, who ruled from 312 to 337, and his son Constantine II who ruled from 337 to 340.
Why were the early Christians persecuted?
Refusing to participate in Imperial Cults was considered an act of treason and punishable by execution. The Imperial Cult identified Emperors and some family members with the divinely sanctioned authority of the Roman State; which basically turned them into gods. People of the empire were supposed to worship their Emperor as equally as they worshiped the pagan gods who insured the safety and prosperity in daily life. Christians refused to worship the Emperor and instead followed and worshiped Christ. Christians were more interested in eternal life than they were in daily life or the prosperity of the Emperor. This made the emperor angry and caused many Christians to be fed to the lions, burned at the stake, tied to an anchor and thrown overboard into the Black Sea, and other horrid methods of death.
The most widespread official persecution was carried out by Diocletian, who was Roman Emperor from 284 to 305. He ordered Christian buildings and the homes of Christians to be torn down and their sacred books collected and burned. Christians were arrested, tortured, mutilated, burned, starved, and condemned to gladiatorial contests to amuse spectators. Gladiator contests meant that the Christian would have to fight to save their life in front of 80,000 spectators. (Just another day at the office...)
The Great Persecution officially ended in April 311, when Galerius, senior Emperor of the Tetrarchy, issued a decree of toleration, which granted Christians the right to practice their religion, though it did not restore any property to them.
One of the worst Emperors in the dealings with Christians was Nero. He was known to capture Christians, dip them in oil, then set them on fire in his garden at night as a source of light during his elaborate parties.
Pieces of the enormous statue of Constantine, located in the Capitoline Museum
Directions to the Colosseum - Distance: 250 M Time to walk: 1 Min
- With your back to the arch, walk toward the Colosseum
