Arch of Septimius Severus, Rome [Side View]by Mark Cartwright (CC BY-NC-SA). Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. By the 4th century, erosion had raised the level of the Forum so much that a roadway was put through the Arch for the first time. To avoid potential data charges from your carrier, we recommend making sure your device is connected to a Wi-Fi network before downloading. Cornelis van Poelenburgh (Dutch, about 1594/1595 - 1667) 29.1 × 19.4 cm (11 7/16 × 7 5/8 in.) Arch of Septimius Severus Giovanni Battista Piranesi. The arch has the typical central keystone of this genre of architectural monument which here represents Mars, the Roman god of war. The arch is a very well preserved monument on the Roman Forum because of its incorporation as part of the church during the Middle Ages. Last modified June 29, 2013. Ancient History Encyclopedia. The Arch of Septimius Severus is a structure located in the Roman Forum which was built in 203 AD during the rule of the Roman emperor, Septimius Severus. Arch of Septimius Severus in the Roman Forum The striking triumphal Arch of Septimius Severus, located at the western end of the Roman Forum in Rome, Italy, was built in 203 A.D. to commemorate the Emperor’s victory against the Parthians, a population that lived between the modern Iran and Iraq, and his two sons, Caracalla and Geta. Retrieved from https://www.ancient.eu/article/502/. Please support Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation. The white marble Arch of Septimius Severus (Italian language: Arco di Settimio Severo) at the northwest end of the Roman Forum is a triumphal arch dedicated in AD 203 to commemorate the Parthian victories of Emperor Septimius Severus and his two sons, Caracalla and Geta, in the two campaigns against the Parthians of 194/195 and 197-199. Interestingly, the inscription was changed following Geta’s murder by his brother Caracalla in 212 CE, perhaps due to a guilty conscience, with the addition of P. Septimo L. fil. Cartwright, M. (2013, June 29). The Arch of Septimius Severus, Rome. The left panel on the Forum side shows the army leaving their camp, a battle, Septimius Severus speaking before his troops, and the liberation of Nisibis. The inscription in the attic dedicated by SPQR (the Senate and People of Rome) to ‘pater patriae’ and ‘pontifex maximus’ refers to his military victories in Parthia (Asia, modern-day Iran). The lower arches also carry figures, this time river gods. His special interests include pottery, architecture, world mythology and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share in common. The style of the sculpture is similar to that on the column of Marcus Aurelius c. 180 CE but, unfortunately, it is in a poor state of preservation and many scenes are barely discernible today. The Arch of Septimius Severus, Rome. Cite This Work It is located at the northwest end of the Roman Forum. R. Imp(eratori) Caes(ari) Lucio Septimio M(arci) fil(io) Severo Pio Pertinaci Aug(usto) patri patriae Parthico Arabico et The arch was first used in the Mediterranean world by those in Mesopotamia, Greece, Persia, and ancient Italy. The Arch of Septimius Severus, erected in 203 CE, stands in Rome and commemorates the Roman victories over the Parthians in the final decade of the 2nd century CE. Bibliography Richard Brilliant, The Arch of Septimius Severus In the Roman Forum, 1963. The worst damage to the structure, however, stems from the inferior quality of the original material and possibly also workmanship when it was originally built. The arch was richly decorated with sculpture which depicted scenes from the military campaigns in Parthia, the seasons, various deities, and victories. There are 3 archways, which are well preserved. The parenthesized section in the middle is text that replaced an original reference to his other son Geta, which was chiseled out upon Geta's damnatio memoriae by Caracalla. The Column of Phocas with the Arch of Septimius Severus in the background, The Church of Saints Luca e Martina next to the arch, View of the arch with Temple of Saturn in the background, Arch of Septimus Severus with medieval fortification of 'Claustrum Cimini' including a tower still visible, This article is about the arch in Rome. A flight of steps originally led to the central opening, as one still does to the Arch of Trajan at Ancona. The sculptures have also suffered severe damage due to weathering and environmental pollution. So much debris and silt eroded from the surrounding hills that the arch was embedded to the base of the columns. p259. This refers to the successful campaigns against the Parthians in modern Iran when Septimius Severus took the city of Ctesiphon (197 CE) and created the new Roman province of Mesopotamia (199 CE). The Arch of Septimius Severus, portal to ancient Rome by Dr. Darius Arya and Dr. Beth Harris Triumphal Arch of Septimius Severus, 203 C.E., marble above a travertine base, roughly 23 x 25 m, Roman Forum, speakers: Dr. Darius Arya, executive director of the American Institute for Roman Culture and Dr. … imp(eratori) Caes(ari) M(arco) Aurelio L(ucii) fil(io) Antonino Aug(usto) Pio Felici tribunic(ia) potest(ate) VI co(n)s(uli) proco(n)s(uli) (p(atri) p(atriae) This building provides a great insight into the themes of the Severan dynasty, as it was erected by the first of this line of rulers. Public domain. "The Arch of Septimius Severus, Rome." Lucius Septimius Severus was a Roman emperor from 193 to 211. 23.7 x 21.4 cm. He was born in Leptis Magna (present day Al-khoms, Libya) in the Roman province of Africa. Hinterhöller, Monika, "Der Triumphbogen des Septimius Severus und die historischen Reliefs der Partherkrieg", 2008, GRIN Verlag, High-resolution 360° Panoramas and Images of, This page was last edited on 15 October 2020, at 15:55. Septimus Severus. For the one in Palmyra, see, The Arch of Septimius Severus in Leptis Magna, Category:Arch of Septimius Severus (Rome), Temple of Jupiter Stator (8th century BC), Boncompagni Ludovisi Decorative Art Museum, Museo Storico Nazionale dell'Arte Sanitaria, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Arch_of_Septimius_Severus&oldid=983674320, Buildings and structures completed in the 3rd century, Articles containing Italian-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. The most impressive sculpture is found on four huge panels - two on each façade - which show scenes from the military campaigns in Parthia. 20 Jan 2021. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. The emperor Septimius Severus came to power in 193. The Arch of Septimius Severus is a Roman triumphal arch built by the Emperor Septimius Severus to celebrate his military victories. The Arch of Septimius Severus is arguably the most impressive monument on the Forum Romanum. The holes used to attach the bronz… Flush-mounted to original card, annotated in an … Cartwright, Mark. Books They had been fighting the Parthians, which is where Iran and Iraq are today. Apr, 2013 by xennex max resolution: 1500x811px Source high and 25 meters wide,... Other significant events within the Roman Empire 2013 under the reigns of Aurelius. Antoninus ) when the Arch was richly decorated with 2 sets of reliefs:. In bronze would also once have adorned the plain surfaces around the inscription the. 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