Art1204 power to the people the art of ancient rome
The Arch Of Constantine
1. The Arch of Constantine
Amazingly created by Hunter Klein
2.
3. • The Arch of Constantine is a large triumphal
arch in Rome next to the Coloseum. This arch
is religiously significant because it
commemorates the battle that led the
Emperor Constantine to convert to
Christianity, thereby changing the religious
landscape of the western world.
4.
5. • The Arch of Constantine was erected to
commemorate Constantine's victory over
Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge
• According to contemporary historians, the
night before the battle Constantine had a
vision. He saw the symbol of chi-rho (the first
letters of "Christ" in Greek) - or the cross in
some accounts - in the sky with the words, "By
this sign, conquer."
6.
7. • With Constantine's conversion, Christian
persecution ended and the development of
Christendom began. Thus, the event
celebrated by the Arch of Constantine was a
major turning point in the history of the
western world.
8.
9. • copied from the Arch of Septimius Severus.
The two have in common not only the fine
sculptured panels with scenes in the life of
Septimius Severus, but also the main
entablature, and the eight magnificent fluted
columns of the Corinthian order decorating
the two fronts of the arch.
10.
11. • The Battle of Milvian Bridge is represented on
the very coarsely sculptured band over the
right-hand side arch, on the front away from
the Colosseum.
12.
13. inscription is cut in the center top of
the arch:
• IMP · CAES · FL · CONSTANTINO · MAXIMO · P ·
F · AVGUSTO · S · P · Q · R · QVOD · INSTINCTV ·
DIVINATATIS · MENTIS · MAGNITVDINE · CVM ·
EXERCITV · SVO · TAM · DE · TYRANNO · QVAM
· DE · OMNI · EIVS · FACTIONE · VNO ·
TEMPORE · IVSTIS · REM-PUBLICAM · VLTVS ·
EST · ARMIS · ARCVM · TRIVMPHIS · INSIGNEM
· DICAVIT · LIBERATORI · VRBIS — FVNDATORI ·
QVIETIS
14.
15. and at the sides:
• VOTIS · X · VOTIS · XX — SIC · X · SIC · XX
16.
17. • The phrase "by divine inspiration" (instinctu
divinitatis mentis) has been susceptible to
wide interpretation at the time and ever since.
It is consistent with his later religious policy of
actively promoting Christianity while keeping
official matters vague enough to satisfy
pagans as well. The divinity on Constantine's
coins before his conversion, and for some time
after, is Sol Invictus, the "Invincible Sun."
