The east endThe ends of the arch were also decorated, which was not always the case in triumphal monuments. They depict events associated with these victories-entering Rome, making a sacrifice, addressing the troops, giving gifts to the troops, receiving the surrender of the barbarians.Īttic reliefs, north side left-left side center-right side (emperor giving gifts and the surrender of the enemy)Īttic reliefs, south side left-left side (addressing the troops) center-right side There are eight rectangular reliefs in the attic which came from an arch commemorating Marcus Aurelius victories in the German wars. View of the south side with the Colosseum to the right (or east) The same inscription is repeated on both sides. Since through divine inspiration and great wisdom he has delivered the state and the tyrant and his party by his army and noble arms, dedicate this arch, decorated with triumphal insignia' (quoted from Stokstad 241). The Inscription reads: 'To the Emperor Constantine from the Senate and the Roman People. The attic story with inscription, flanked by reliefs taken from a monument celebrating Marcus Aurelius' victory over the Germans (in 174 CE), and with free-standing figural sculptures representing prisoners, eight in total, from the Forum of Trajan made to commemorate Trajan's victory over the Dacians (in early 2nd century CE) The faces of these emperors were recut to the features of Constantine. It incorporates recycled sculpture from earlier monuments, in part as some suggest, because creativity and technical skill had fallen off by this time period, but perhaps also because of a desire to associate Constantine with the 'good emperors' Trajan, Hadrian, and Marcus Aurelius, whose monuments were cannibalized for sculpture. It is just west of the Colosseum and dwarfs the nearby Arch of Titus. This huge triumphal arch (21 meters high), with three barrel-vaulted passageways, was erected to commemorate Constantine's victory over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312. Page three: relief sculpture (the frieze) from the Constantinian period

Page two: Hadrianic roundels, relief under passageway, spandrel and molding details Page one: whole views, ends, and attic details

Images of arch of constantine