preview

The Arch of Titus: The Triumph of the Emperor Essay

Good Essays

One of the most striking uses of architecture for glorification of a Roman emperor is the Arch of Titus. Built specifically upon the highest point of the Via Sacra, or Sacred Road, this arch is a lasting monument to the glorification of Titus. The Arch of Titus was built by Emperor Domitian to honor the capture and siege of Jerusalem by Titus and his apotheosis, or deification. This arch is an outstanding example of one of the most celebrated ways used by the Romans to express the honor and glory of their emperors.
The Arch of Titus is known for its depictions of the spoils brought back to Rome after the destruction of Jerusalem. As a result of the Jewish attacks on Roman installations and the start of a revolt against Roman rule in 66 …show more content…

Titus, backed by four legions, began his assault on the beleaguered city in the spring of 70 CE. In less than four weeks, he had breached the walls of Jerusalem, and by that August, the outer Temple court had been reached, the Temple burned to the ground and its captives killed. With the fall of Jerusalem and the end of the revolt, Titus was hailed as imperator, or commander, by his troops. This was a necessary step in order for a general to apply to the Senate for a triumph, which Titus shared with his father Vespasian when he returned to Rome.
A triumph was both a civil and religious ceremony in Imperial Rome; it was used to pay tribute to a military commander, or an imperator, for a successful foreign war campaign and to display the booty captured in the war. The ceremony was a parade showcasing the captured gold and silver and slaves from the war. The triumph followed a precise route through the streets of Rome, culminating in the march up the Via Sacra into the Roman Forum. To better celebrate a triumph, a triumphal arch was often erected to march underneath during the procession or as a commemoration to the triumph itself.
The role and history of the triumphal arches in Rome is a little murky, as they are not mentioned by most Roman historians, and most notably they are left out by Vitruvius, the first century BCE writer on Roman architecture. However, Pliny the Elder does discuss the role of triumphal arches and points out that

Get Access