Triumphal arch

The triumphal arch originated in Rome as a way for the emperors and citizens to celebrate or commemorate some significant event. These included military victories and the seating of a new emperor. Often built along or even over major roads, these structures usually served no practical purpose and were merely decorative. They were designed to be impressive and were usually decorated with carvings, sculptures, and bronze plaques related to the person or event they commemorated. A number of examples from antiquity remain, at least in part, and many new examples have been erected around the world during the eighteenth through twentieth centuries.

Background

The word triumphal comes from the Latin triumphus, which means "pertaining to a great victory or accomplishment." The earliest use of triumphal came from Old French to Old English and continued the meaning of the earlier Latin term. The word arch comes from the Latin word arcus, which means "bow," as in a bow and arrow. It also came from Old French to Old English, where the word took on several meanings; the one most appropriate for this usage referencing the curved portion of a building or structure.

It is believed that the Romans built the first triumphal arch in the second century Before the Common Era (BCE) to commemorate successful military expeditions in Spain. This arch, near the Circus Maximus in Rome, was the first of a number of arches built in that area. The area, which featured an oval track used for chariot races as well as areas for gladiator games, would have attracted many visitors to see the arches.

The second-century arch was the first of more than fifty built in Rome alone, although few have survived into the twenty-first century. Some of the most significant of these arches include two dedicated to Titus, who was the Roman emperor from the year 79 Common Era (CE) until his death. The older arch features a victorious Titus riding his chariot and Roman soldiers carrying off treasures from the Jewish temple during the conquest of Jerusalem in 70 through 71 CE. Although archaeologists were aware of the second arch for centuries thanks to historical accounts that mentioned it, the location of the arch was only identified in 2015.

This is the case with many of the arches of antiquity: historians are aware that they existed, but the arches have either crumbled over the years or been destroyed. In some cases, the general location is known, but little or no trace of the arch remains. Further, archeologists continued to make discoveries of new arches. In 2023, archeologists discovered the foundations of a Roman triumphal arch dating from the third century CE at the site of Viminacium, an ancient Roman city near the town of Kostolac in Serbia. The arch was believed to be dedicated to Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus.

Overview

From historical writings and the arches or portions of arches that remain, historians and historical architects have identified characteristics common to triumphal arches. The arches are large, rectangular, and constructed of masonry, often with accents of marble and bronze. For instance, the Arch of Constantine, the largest surviving arch from antiquity, stands more than 65 feet (20 m) in height. It was built in Rome in 315 BCE to honor the victory of Emperor Constantine the Great over his predecessor, Emperor Maxentius, in battle.

Although the first structure built to honor the emperor Titus was a single-arched structure, most of these monumental constructions had three arches. Very often, the central arch was both wider and taller than the arches that flanked it; the arches were designed so that the proportion of the height to the width remained the same for both the larger and smaller arches. The arches were usually framed by sets of columns that were often visually enhanced with pedestals at the bottom and decorative pieces known as entablatures at the top. In some cases, these columns and entablatures were further decorated with statues that stand at the top, often above the height of the main structure.

The areas above the arches and along the sides of the monument were often decorated with statues or carvings as well as bronze lettering or plaques. These identified the person honored by the arch and often depicted the accomplishment being honored, such as ascending to the role of emperor or winning a military campaign. In some cases, archaeologists have determined parts of one monument were used to remake a new monument. For example, the Arch of Constantine is thought to include parts of several older arches, including statues and reliefs that decorated the top, sides, and insides of the arches.

The concept of a triumphal arch spread across the European continent along with the Roman Empire. Even after the empire itself had faded, the idea of the triumphal arch remained. This style of monument became a significant influence on architecture, particularly after the fifteenth century. France's Arc de Triomphe, begun in 1806 and completed thirty years later, commemorates many of that country's battles and the generals who fought them. It is also the burial place of France's Unknown Soldier, an unidentified serviceman from World War I who represents all the war's casualties who died and rest in unknown places.

Other triumphal arches include the Brandenburg Gate in Germany, built between 1788 and 1791 in Berlin; the Washington Square Arch, built in New York City in 1889 to celebrate the one-hundredth anniversary of the inauguration of President George Washington; and the Gateway to India, built between 1911 and 1924 in Mumbai.

In some cases, particularly in Europe, the more contemporary arches have provided impressive backdrops for many events of modern history. Leaders often make important announcements or conduct key speeches with the arches as a backdrop to evoke the power and sense of victory they display. Some of the arches were the sites of triumphal marches for victorious invaders or targets for enemy attackers. This was the case when the Germans invaded France during World War II, when the German troops marched past the Arc de Triomphe and hung an enormous Nazi flag on it during the occupation. French military leader Napoleon Bonaparte and his troops had stolen the victory statue from the top of the Brandenburg Arch in 1806 during the Napoleonic War.

The influence of triumphal arches can be found in many examples of architecture. A number of churches and other large, important structures, such as courthouses and government buildings, were designed with fronts that feature three arches flanked by columns in imitation of the Roman triumphal arch style. Memorials, monuments, and educational institutions also had triumphal arches incorporated into their design. This revival of the ancient architecture form was particularly popular in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Bibliography

“Arc de Triomphe.” Things to do in Paris, www.thingstodoinparis.com/attractions/arcdetriomphe. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.

Cartwright, Mark. "Triumphal Arch." World History Encyclopedia, 31 Dec. 2012, www.worldhistory.org/Triumphal‗Arch/. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

“How Rome’s Honorary Arches Inspired The World.” Roma Experience, 19 Sept. 2024, www.romaexperience.com/post/how-romes-honorary-arches-inspired-the-world. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Loth, Caldor. “The Triumphal Arch as a Design Resource: Classical Comments by Calder Loth.” Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, www.classicist.org/articles/classical-comments-the-triumphal-arch-as-a-design-resource. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Maranzani, Barbara. "Brandenburg Gate: A Brief History." History, 8 Mar. 2024, www.history.com/news/brandenburg-gate-a-brief-history. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Reed, Estelle. "A Second Triumphal Arch of Titus Discovered." Bible History Daily, 11 June 2015, www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/news/a-second-triumphal-arch-of-titus-discovered. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.