Paul M. Krueger

The Arch of Constantine is completed near the Colosseum in Rome to commemorate Constantine I’s victory over Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge.

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ㅤThe Arch of Constantine is a triumphal arch in Rome commissioned by the Roman Senate to honor Emperor Constantine the Great. Dedicated in 315 CE, it commemorates his victory over Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge three years earlier. Situated between the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill, it is the largest Roman triumphal arch ever built. A notable feature of its decoration is the extensive use of spolia, which are reliefs and sculptures repurposed from earlier monuments dedicated to the emperors Trajan, Hadrian, and Marcus Aurelius, with the heads of those emperors re-carved to resemble Constantine.

ㅤThe arch’s construction took place between 312 and 315 CE, with its dedication celebrating both Constantine’s victory and the ten-year anniversary of his rule, known as the decennalia. Its location was highly symbolic, as it spans the Via Triumphalis, the ancient route taken by military leaders during their victory processions into the city. This triumphal way began at the Campus Martius, passed the Circus Maximus and Palatine Hill, and continued through the Arch of Constantine toward the Roman Forum and Capitoline Hill, passing other famous arches along the way.

ㅤThe following are photos I took during my recent trip to Rome in March 2024: