Arch of Constantine, Triumphal arch in Celio, Rome, Italy
The Arch of Constantine is a three-arched Roman monument in the Celio district of Rome, Italy, standing between the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill. The structure displays Corinthian columns and a wealth of reliefs distributed across its facade, depicting scenes from battles and imperial ceremonies.
The Senate commissioned the arch to mark Constantine's victory over Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge on 28 October 312 and dedicated it on 25 July 315, during the emperor's decennalia. Much of its sculpture was taken from monuments of Trajan, Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius, with portrait heads recut. In the Middle Ages it was built into a family stronghold; Lorenzino de' Medici mutilated several heads in 1530, and a lightning strike damaged it on 3 September 2024.
The attic inscription, repeated on both main faces, calls Constantine's victory divinely inspired; the phrase instinctu divinitatis has fuelled debate over his religion. Reliefs taken from monuments of Trajan, Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius had their portrait heads recut as Constantine, and panels of the Capitoline sacrifice were left out of the reuse.
The site stands freely accessible in the open air and can be viewed from outside at any time without requiring a ticket. Early morning hours offer quieter conditions and better light for photos, while late afternoon casts longer shadows.
The monument served as the finish line for the Olympic marathon in 1960, with Ethiopian runner Abebe Bikila passing barefoot under it to win. This event brought the ancient Roman structure into modern sporting history, linking two different eras at a single location.
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