- On 10/01/2025
- In curiosity
- Tags: Colosseum Palatine Hill Roman Forum, Roman Forum
ROMAN FORUM, THE MAGNIFICENT ARCH OF TITUS
Stand where history was made! Located where the Roman Forum meets the Palatine Hill, the Arch of Titus is more than just a magnificent single-arch gateway—it was a dramatic entrance to the Imperial Palaces.
1️⃣ The Inscription Tells the Tale: Look up at the Arch’s attic (on the Colosseum side) and you’ll find the original dedication: “The Senate and People of Rome to the Divine Titus, son of the Divine Vespasian, Vespasian Augustus”. The use of divus (divine) tells us the arch was completed after Titus’s death and deification in 81 AD, likely by his brother Domitian.
The marble reliefs inside are a powerful testament to the success of the Jewish War, concluded by Titus and his father Vespasian in 71 AD:
2️⃣ South Pier: See the glorious triumphal procession entering Rome. Note the famous depiction of the rich spoils, including the iconic seven-branched candelabrum (the menorah), carried through the city gates.
3️⃣ North Pier: Behold Emperor Titus in his triumphal chariot, crowned by the goddess Victory!
Despite its historical carvings, this arch never served a triumphal function! That purpose was fulfilled by another arch dedicated to Titus in the Circus Maximus. Also, at the center of the arch’s vault, you can see Titus’s apotheosis—a beautiful sculpture of him flying heavenward on the back of an eagle!
Saved from ruin after being incorporated into a medieval fortress, the Arch was eventually disassembled and meticulously restored by architect Giuseppe Valadier in the 1820s. The travertine restoration and the impressive bronze-lettered inscription facing the Forum date to this significant conservation effort—a milestone in the history of monument preservation!