At the foot of the Palatine Hill, there are plenty of ancient Roman buildings and artefacts that offer a glimpse into the city’s majestic and fascinating past. The Arch of Titus is one of these buildings. It’s essentially a Roman Triumphal Arch that was erected in 81 CE by Domitian.
It was built to remember the victories of Domitian’s father, Vespian, and his brother, Titus, in the Jewish War that took place in 70-71 CE in Judaea. This war saw Jerusalem lose all of the riches of its temple.
As well as being a commemorative monument, the Arch also stands as a political and religious statement that expresses the divinity of the late emperor Titus. Visitors can now see the Arch for themselves in the Roman Forum along with many of Rome’s other historical monuments.
How the Arch Was Constructed
The Arch itself is made from Pentelic marble, while the attic part of it was created using Luna marble. There is an inscription on the east side, which remains one of the most important parts of the monument despite being worn away over the years. At one point in time, the original letters would have been inlaid with gilded bronze for extra glitz.
There is only one opening in the arch and the decoration on it is a lot less glamorous than other arches that can be found in the Roman Forum, like those of Constantine and Septimius Severus. This might be partly due to the fact that the Arch of Titus hasn’t survived the throes of time particularly well. However, visitors can still get an insight into the importance of the monument, as well as its history that is well and truly entwined in the edifice.
The sculpture scenes on the side panels are still very visible, for example. One of these shows the beginning of the victory march for Titus in 71 CE, showing the moment it passed through the Porta Triumphalis to the Forum Boarium. In the panel, you can see participants of the triumph procession carrying goods stolen from the Temple of Jerusalem.
Around the rest of the Arch, there is a smaller frieze that showcases the entirety of the procession. Winged victories perch on a globe holding banners, trophies, and palm fronds, while the center of each side represents the Genius of the Roman People.
Much later on, the Arch was incorporated into the fortifications of the Frangipani Family during the Medieval era. It wasn’t until the 19th Century that significant restorations took place on the arch, though, and this is final scene visitors see today when they visit the historic monument.
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