Arco di Costantino
Archaeological site
Triumphal Arch
Arco di Costantino
Triumphal Arch for the Emperor Constantine
26 metres wide, 21 metres tall and 7.5 metres deep, the Arch of Constantine is the largest and best preserved Roman triumphal arch. It was built in A.D. 312 by the Senate in honour of Emperor Constantine's victory over Maxentius at the Ponte Milvio. Restoration works in the recent past have shown that the lower part of the arch comes from the time of Emperor Hadrian and the Arch of Constantine was probably built by a predecessor. For the decoration and embellishment of the triumphal arch numerous reliefs from older monuments were used, so that the scenes, which are shown, have little to do with the victorious battles of Constantine. The glorious battles of Constantine are reflected by the victory of Crispus on the east side and battle against the Dacians on the west side. Above the central archway, towards the Colosseum, an inscription is emlazoned in Latin: "To the Emperor Caesar Flavius Constantinus Maximus, the pious and happy Augustus, the Senate and People of Rome dedicate this arc as a sign of triumph, because by divine inspiration and generosity, he and his army liberated the country simultaneously with the help of just war from the tyrant and from all rebellion."
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