ARCH OF CONSTANTINE

 this arch was built by Senate decree to commemorate Constantine’s victory over Maxentius in AD.

 arch is 21m high, 25.7 wide, 7.4 m deep.  the central archway is 11.5m high.  the side archways are 7.4m high.

THE INSCRIPTION  in the centre of the attic is a long inscription.  “dedicated to Constantine by the Senate and people of Rome after his victory over the ‘tyrant’ (Maxentius).”

BASIC FACTS  the arch stands near Colosseum.  along the broad sides of the arch there is a façade of four columns on engaged bases  what interests us is the wealth of sculptural decoration taken from other earlier monuments.  this is called cannibalising.

WHY DID HE ‘BORROW’ ART FROM PAST EMPERORS?  to return to the image of a ‘Golden Age’ of Rome.  to link him with the previous ‘great’ Emperors.  display general ideas about Constantine’s character and exploits.  displays to the public Constantine’s qualities of pietas and virtus.  to remind others about the virtues of traditional Roman religion.  to compensate for a lack of skilled sculptors?

CONSTANTINE TOOK PIECES FROM …….  Trajan  Hadrian  Marcus Aurelius  He did put some pieces on it himself however.

FROM THE TIME OF TRAJAN iiiin the main arch interior are four large relief panels. These were originally part of a continuous battle frieze taken from Trajan’s Forum. ttttwo are on the inner sides of the central archway. tttthe other two are at the top of the east and west faces of the arch.

 the eight statues of Dacian captives above each of the columns.  one is completely restored.  the others have had their heads and hands repaired.  they wear a felt hat, have shaggy beards and long trousers; these are all signs of barbarians.

FROM THE TIME OF HADRIAN  eight medallions set in pairs over the side arches of the north and south sides.  the medallions commemorate Hadrian’s love of hunting and his devotion to the gods associated with it.

THE NORTH SIDE MEDALLIONS a boar hunt, a boar hunt, a sacrifice to Apollo, a sacrifice to Apollo, a lion hunt, a lion hunt, a sacrifice to Hercules. a sacrifice to Hercules.

THE SOUTH SIDE MEDALLIONS a scene of the hunting party setting out, a scene of the hunting party setting out, a sacrifice to Silvanus, a sacrifice to Silvanus, a bear hunt, a bear hunt, a sacrifice to Diana. a sacrifice to Diana.

 four of the medallions represent the quality of VIRTUS = courage, determination, manliness, endurance, violence, physical fitness.  the other medallions represent the quality of PIETAS = displaying the proper respect to the gods.  some of the heads have been replaced with those of Constantine and his eastern co-ruler, Licinius.  the mood is serene, e.g.: the attendants seem unconcerned at Constantine killing the boar. 1. leaving for the hunt, 2. the boar hunt, 3. the bear hunt, 4. the lion hunt. 1. sacrifices to Silvanus, 2. Diana, 3. Apollo, 4. Hercules

FROM THE TIME OF MARCUS AURELIUS  in between the Dacian prisoners and above the side arches are eight rectangular relief panels.  they commemorate Marcus Aurelius’s victories in eastern Europe and Germany.  Constantine’s heads are 18th century restorations.

MARCUS AURELIUS  on the northern face the Emperor is shown entering Rome, the Emperor is shown entering Rome, he is then shown leaving the city in the next panel, he is then shown leaving the city in the next panel, Constantine is then seen disturbing money to the people, Constantine is then seen disturbing money to the people, finally in the far right panel a barbarian chief surrenders to him. finally in the far right panel a barbarian chief surrenders to him.

MARCUS AURELIUS  on the southern face another barbarian chief surrenders, another barbarian chief surrenders, prisoners are shown being led to the Emperor, prisoners are shown being led to the Emperor, in the next panel Trajan is seen addressing his troops, in the next panel Trajan is seen addressing his troops, in the last panel Constantine conducts a sacrifice with them. in the last panel Constantine conducts a sacrifice with them.

FROM CONSTANTINE’S TIME  in the spandrels above the arches are winged Victories, River gods and Seasons.  the column bases have upright Victories on the front & barbarians captives on the side.

FROM CONSTANTINE’S TIME  two medallions on narrow east and west sides  the west shows the personification of the moon in its chariots setting.  the east sides shows the personification of the sun rising on in its chariot.

FROM CONSTANTINE’S TIME  the long narrow friezes above the side arches represent the episodes in Constantine’s life that led to his victory over Maxentius. on the north Constantine addresses his people (Oratio) in the Roman forum and distributes money to them (Donatio). on the north Constantine addresses his people (Oratio) in the Roman forum and distributes money to them (Donatio). on the east shows Constantine entering Rome victorious. on the east shows Constantine entering Rome victorious. the south shows the siege of Verona and the battle of the Milvian bridge where Maxentius died. the south shows the siege of Verona and the battle of the Milvian bridge where Maxentius died. the west side may show Constantine leaving Milan. the west side may show Constantine leaving Milan.

THE SCULPTURE  some heads (particularly Hadrian’s) have been re-cut to represent Constantine.  some even have a nimbus (a ring of splendour) cut around them.  the few reliefs made for the monument are recognisable for their hasty workmanship, stiff formality and lack of workmanship.

HARMONY IS ACHIEVED BY  depth of arch (7.4m) is the same as the height of the smaller arches.  above the small arches, the extra inscriptions and decoration equals the height of the main arch  the vault of the main arch begins at the same level as the top of the side arches.  the curves of the roundels echo the curve of the archways.  the horizontal is stress by the lines of the entablature, rectangular panels, and the column bases.

‘ORATIO’ AS AN EXAMPLE OF CONSTANTINEAN ART  shows (a damaged) Constantine in the middle of a group of senators and officials.  on either side of the ground level are a group of Roman citizens wearing tunics with another row of heads behind them to indicate depth.  some are talking among themselves and others are children.  Constantine is central, raised above the others and the centre of attention.  drapery is rudimentary and not revealing of the body beneath with deep straight lines instead of curves.