The Arch Design: A Source of Fame and Individuality
The current article's aim was to outline the art history of the Constantine Arch. The significance of the architectural marvel in comparison to other temples in ancient Rome was emphasized. The essay further discussed the arch's historical significance and rarity in comparison to other buildings with identical architectural types. Furthermore, the report based on who designed the bridge and why the arch was commissioned at that time.
Constantine's Arch: Construction and Location
Constantine's Arch was built between 312 and 315 AD (Marlowe 223). The Arch of Constantine is in modern-day Italy, between the Arch of Titus and the Colosseum. The structure was constructed to honor and remember the defeat of Maxentius by Constantine in the year 312. The conquest memorable conquest was at the battle of the Milvian Bridge. The war was necessitated by the fact that the emperor was fighting to secure is control over the western territory in the Roman Empire. The writings on the arch of Constantine allude to the fact that divine intervention mediated Constantine's victory over Maxentius. Nonetheless, the whether the divine intervention, in this case, referred to Godly or a demonic force is a matter of speculation. The architectural masterpiece remains to be the largest and the most appealing arch among the ancient structures concerning the ingenious use of colorful bricks.
Architectural Features of Constantine's Arch
An image of the arch of Constantine was presented in Figure 1 below. From the image, it was observed that the arch of Constantine has some unique features such as the eight sculptures of Dacian captives and marble columns located in the middle and the outer edges of the sculpture. The structure also features three barrel-vaulted passageways. From the image, it can be observed that the middle passageway was the tallest while the two arches on either side were measured in length and height. Other unique features observed on the arch of Constantine were the four Corinthian columns on the front and rear sides of the arch that was constructed using Numidian yellow marbles. The columns were supported by pedestals; and at the tip of each of the structure, there was a Dacian prisoner (Cartwright, "The Arch of Constantine, Rome").
Derivation of Reliefs and Inscriptions
Some of the reliefs used in the construction of the arch were derived from the monuments made to commemorate the defeat of the Germans by Marcus Aurelius in 174 CE. The prisoners were represented by eight freestanding sculptures in the arch of Constantine. The prisoners were a symbol of the defeat of Dacian by Trajan (Sullivan). On the northern side of the building, there was an inscription. The inscription stated that the arch was a gift from the Roman citizens and the Senate to Constantine because he had successfully delivered the empire from the hand of the enemy with the help of the army. The same inscription was repeated on the southern side of the arch. The reliefs illustrate the different events that shaped the history of Rome at the time (Sullivan). For instance, one of the reliefs depicted the grand entry to Rome, barbarians conceding defeat, the emperor giving gifts, while another scene depicted the emperor addressing his troops. On the eastern sections of the arch of Constantine, the wall was decorated with scenes of a sun chariot driven by god Sol (Carlson 163). At the upper part of the medallion, there is a frieze from a monument derived from Trajan depicting a battle. On the eastern side, the moon goddess Luna is riding a chariot (Sullivan).
Striking Features and Theories Surrounding the Creation of the Arch
Some of the striking features of the Arch of Constantine include the fact that during its construction the architects used sculptures that originated from other monuments. According to the historians, it was postulated that the need to use figurines from other monuments was informed by the fact that it was difficult for the architects of the time to develop similar structures because the quality of art had drastically reduced. Another theory argues that the need to use previous sculptures may have been informed by the fact that Emperor Constantine may have wanted to associate himself with other great emperors who ruled before him. Such emperors included Marcus Aurelius, Hadrian, and Trajan. It is noteworthy that architectural masterpieces constructed during the different periods that the three emperors ruled were defaced during the construction of the arch of the Constantine because there was a need to use the sculptures in the new structure. Besides, the carvings and sculptures that bore the images of other emperors were remodeled to bear the shape of Constantine. Cases in point, the medallions used in the monument were derived from the sculptures dating two centuries before Constantines's rule during the reign of Hadrian. Additionally, the Palazzo Conservatori's three panels were also used during the construction of the monument. Therefore, because the some sections of the arch were derived from previous sculptures; it can be argued that what was presented to Constantine was not a new monument but a patchwork of different monuments.
Alternate Theories on Construction Time and Style
Nonetheless, there is an argument that the arch of Constantine was constructed before the time that Constantine came to power. Primarily because of the at the time, the Roman law prohibited the construction of such grandeurs monuments in honor of emperors who had not conquered foreign wars. Constantine's battle with Maxentius was a local conflict over territorial integrity of the Roman empire, and therefore it could not qualify as an international war. Thus, according to this school of thought, the structure was constructed during the reign of Emperor Domitian about 90 AD. After the demise of Emperor Domitian, who was assassinated, all of the monuments that had been constructed in his favor were brought down; later the structures were reconstructed and dedicated to different emperors. Therefore, the sculpture may have been constructed for Emperor Domitian to honor his war conquests. Figure 2 below depicts a detailed illustration of the different features within the arch of Constantine. The features illustrate the origins of the different monuments used in the construction of the structure. Therefore, it can be deduced that no single architect was responsible for the construction of the structure.
Differences in Architectural Style
The fame of the arch partly stems from the fact that it was dedicated in honor to Constantine, who according to history was instrumental in the advancement of Christianity in Rome and around Europe and Asia (Marlowe). The arch suffered some damage when one of the Corinthian marble columns was removed and used in the construction of the church at St John Lateran by Clement VIII. The original yellow column was replaced with a purple column. Further restorative works were undertaken from 2000; the renovations helped to restore the original aesthetic appeal of the structure.
Comparison with Colosseum and Arch of Titus
One of the notable differences between the architectural style of the Constantine's arch, the Colosseum, and the arch of Titus is that the arch of Constantine was constructed using sculptures from different monuments erected in honor of different emperors. However, the Colosseum adopted a different style because it was built for public utility. Besides, the construction of the Colosseum was undertaken by the Flavian dynasty during the reign of Emperor Vespasian. The initial construction was initiated between AD 70 and 72, and the complete construction of the structure was completed in AD 80. Another notable difference was that the arch of Constantine used columns of a particular style; all of the columns had the Corinthian style, and they were made of Numidian yellow marble. However, in the Colosseum, columns of different styles were used on each of the floors. In particular, Corinthian, Ionic, and Doric columns were used (History.com). Additionally, the arch of Constantine was a souvenir erected in honor of a warrior while the Colosseum was an entertainment facility where the Roman citizens enjoyed gladiator fights.Another variation in style in the ancient architectural structures in Rome was noted between the arch of Constantine and the arch of Titus. One of the most notable variations in style was that the arch of Titus only had one passageway while the arch of Constantine had three passageways. Additionally, the Corinthian columns made of yellow marble, reliefs, and medallions were not observed in the arch of Titus (Cartwright, "The Arch of Titus, Rome"). Besides, the passageway in the arch of Titus was sparingly decorated compared to the three passageways in the arch of Constantine. Since all sculptures and cravings used in the arch of Titus were made at the same time, this is an illustration that the style and Roman art during the reign of Emperor Titus were much more sophisticated compared to the Arch of Constantine partly because there was an advancement in architectural expertise.
Conclusion
The present article sought to provide a detailed understanding regarding the arch of Constantine. Given the literature cited in the preceding sections, it was noted that the arch of Constantine represents a patchwork of different sculptures and monuments, some of which were remodeled to depict the face of Emperor Constantine. Some of the sculptures were sourced from monuments that had been constructed in honor of other emperors such as Domitian and Hadrian. It was hypothesized that the adoption of this approach was attributed to the fact that at the time the arch was being constructed, there was a shortage of skilled Roman architects and artists. Another hypothesis was that the need to use artifacts from different sculptures was informed by the fact that Emperor Constantine wanted to emulate the great emperors before him such as Hadrian and Trajan.The body of scientific evidence points to the fact that the arch of Constantine may have been erected during the times of Domitian, defaced after his death, reconstructed, and dedicated to Constantine after he conquered Maxentius during the war at the Milvian bridge. The uniqueness and fame of the arch stem from the fact that it is the most significant arch remaining from the ancient Rome civilizations.
Works Cited
Carlson, Jack. “Narrative Reliefs of the Arch of Constantine and the.” New England Classical Journal, no. 37, vol. 3, 2010, pp. 163–176.
Cartwright, Mark. “The Arch of Constantine, Rome.” Ancient History Encyclopedia, 2013. https://www.ancient.eu/article/497/the-arch-of-constantine-rome/. Accessed 15 Oct. 2017.
Cartwright, Mark. “The Arch of Titus, Rome.” Ancient History Encyclopedia, 2013. https://www.ancient.eu/article/499/the-arch-of-titus-rome/. Accessed 15 Oct. 2017.
Findley, Andrew. “Arch of Constantine.” Khan Academy, 2017. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/roman/late-empire/a/arch-of-constantine. Accessed 15 Oct. 2017.
History.com. “Colosseum.” , 2017. http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/colosseum. Accessed 15 Oct. 2017.
Marlowe, Elizabeth. “Framing the Sun: The Arch of Constantine and the Roman Cityscape.” The Art Bulletin, no. 88, vol. 2, 2006, pp. 223–242.
Nancy, M. “The Arch of Constantine.” National Geographic, 2017. http://yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/photos/8003876/. Accessed 15 Oct. 2017.
Sullivan, Mary Ann. “Arch of Constantine.”, 2005. https://www.bluffton.edu/homepages/facstaff/sullivanm/italy/rome/archconstantine/arch.html. Accessed 15 Oct. 2017.
