Editing Arch of Constantine (section)

==Iconography==
The arch is heavily decorated with parts of older monuments, which assume a new meaning in the context of the Constantinian building. As it celebrates the victory of Constantine, the new "historic" friezes illustrating his campaign in Italy convey the central meaning: the praise of the emperor, both in battle and in his civilian duties. The other imagery supports this purpose: decoration taken from the "golden times" of the Empire under the 2nd century emperors whose reliefs were re-used places Constantine next to these "good emperors", and the content of the pieces evokes images of the victorious and pious ruler.

Another explanation given for the re-use is the short time between the start of construction (late 312 at the earliest) and the dedication (summer 315), so the architects used existing artwork to make up for the lack of time to create new art. It could be that so many old parts were used because the builders themselves did not&nbsp;''feel''&nbsp;the artists of their time could do better than what had already been done by different people.<ref name=":1" /> As yet another possible reason, it has often been suggested that the Romans of the 4th century truly did lack the artistic skill to produce acceptable artwork, and were aware of it, and therefore plundered the ancient buildings to adorn their contemporary monuments. This interpretation has become less prominent in more recent times, as the art of [[Late Antiquity]] has been appreciated in its own right. It is possible that a combination of those explanations is correct.{{sfn|Kitzinger|1977|loc=pp.&nbsp;8–15}}

===Attic===
{{unreferenced section|date=July 2017}}
{{wide image|KonstantinsbogenAttika.jpg|600px|align-cap=center|South attic}}
On the top of each column, large sculptures representing [[Dacians]] can be seen, which date from Trajan. Above the central archway is the inscription, forming the most prominent portion of the [[Attic (architecture)|attic]] and is identical on both sides of the arch. Flanking the inscription on both sides are four pairs of relief panels above the minor archways, eight in total. These were taken from an unknown monument erected in honour of [[Marcus Aurelius]]. On the north side, from left to right, the panels depict the emperor's return to Rome after the campaign (''[[adventus (art)|adventus]]''), the emperor leaving the city and saluted by a personification of the [[Via Flaminia]], the emperor distributing money among the people (''[[largitio]]''), and the emperor interrogating a German prisoner. On the south side, from left to right, are depicted a captured enemy chieftain led before the emperor, a similar scene with other prisoners (illustrated below), the emperor speaking to the troops (''[[adlocutio]]''), and the emperor sacrificing a pig, sheep and bull (''[[suovetaurilia]]''). Together with three panels now in the Capitoline Museum, the reliefs were probably taken from a triumphal monument commemorating [[Marcomannic Wars|Marcus Aurelius' war]] against the [[Marcomanni]] and the [[Sarmatians]] from 169–175, which ended with Marcus Aurelius' triumphant return in 176. On the ''largitio'' panel, the figure of Marcus Aurelius' son [[Commodus]] has been eradicated following the latter's ''[[damnatio memoriae]]''.

From the same time period the two large (3&nbsp;m high) panels decorating the attic on the east and west sides of the arch show scenes from [[Trajan]]'s [[Trajan's Dacian Wars|Dacian Wars]]. Together with the two reliefs on the inside of the central archway, these came from a large frieze celebrating the Dacian victory. The original place of this frieze was either the [[Forum of Trajan]], or the barracks of the emperor's horse guard on the [[Caelian Hill|Caelius]].
{{Gallery |width=160 | height=170 |align=center |File:Constarch_d4.jpg|Detail of relief panel, south side, right panel of left arch }}

===Main section===
The general layout of the main façade is identical on both sides of the arch, consisting of four columns on bases, dividing the structure into a central arch and two lateral arches, the latter being surmounted by two round [[reliefs]] over a horizontal [[frieze]]. The four columns are of [[Corinthian order]] made of Numidian yellow marble (''[[giallo antico]]''), one of which has been transferred into the [[Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano]] and was replaced by a white marble column. The columns stand on bases ([[plinths]] or socles), decorated on three sides. The reliefs on the front show [[Victoria (mythology)|''Victoria'']], either inscribing a shield or holding palm branches, while those to the side show captured barbarians alone or with Roman soldiers. Though Constantinian, they are modelled on those of the [[Arch of Septimius Severus]] (and the destroyed ''[[Arcus novus]]''{{efn|The ''Arcus novus'', was erected by [[Diocletian]] ''ca.'' 314 on the ''[[Via lata]]'', one of three triumphal arches on that road, and was destroyed ca. 1491 during reconstruction of [[Santa Maria in Via Lata]]. The remains, including the plinths are now in the [[Boboli Gardens]], in Florence.{{sfn|Ferris|2013|loc=[https://books.google.com/books?id=ihGoAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA21 p.&nbsp;21]}}}}), and may be considered as a "standard" item.{{sfn|Ferris|2013|loc=[https://books.google.com/books?id=ihGoAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA21 p.&nbsp;21]}}

{{Gallery |width=160 | height=170 |align=center 
|File:KonstantinsbogenSäulenrelief.jpg|Detail of north plinth on second column from east (''see gallery''), viewed from east, with [[Victoria (mythology)|''Victoria'']] (left), prisoners (right)
|File:Arco di costantino, plinti 04.JPG|Detail of western plinths (''see detail of left plinth in side bar'')
|File:Luk Konstantyna 6DSCF0032.JPG|Round reliefs above right lateral archway, from south, over friezes
|File:Constantine Arch Roman Trophy IMG 6576.jpg|Plinths of columns on north side, looking west (''see detail to right'')
|File:Arco di costantino, plinti 13.JPG|Plinths, north side looking east
}}

The pairs of round reliefs above each lateral archway date to the times of Emperor [[Hadrian]]. They display scenes of hunting and sacrificing: (north side, left to right) hunt of a boar, sacrifice to [[Apollo]], hunt of a lion, sacrifice to [[Hercules]]. On the south side, the left pair show the departure for the hunt (see below) and sacrifice to [[Silvanus (mythology)|Silvanus]], while those on the right (illustrated on the right) show the hunt of a bear and sacrifice to [[Diana (goddess)|Diana]]. The head of the emperor (originally Hadrian) has been reworked in all medallions: on the north side, into Constantine in the hunting scenes and into [[Licinius]] or [[Constantius I]] in the sacrifice scenes; on the south side, vice versa. The reliefs, ''c.'' 2 m in diameter, were framed in [[porphyry (geology)|porphyry]]; this framing is only extant on the right side of the northern façade. Similar medallions, of Constantinian origin, are located on the small sides of the arch; the eastern side shows the Sun rising, on the western side, the Moon. Both are on chariots.

The [[spandrels]] of the main archway are decorated with reliefs depicting [[Victoria (mythology)|victory]] figures with trophies (illustrated below), those of the smaller archways show river gods. Column bases and spandrel reliefs are from the time of Constantine.
{{Gallery |width=160 | height=170 |align=center |File:Constarch_d2.jpg|Spandrel over main arch }}

==== Constantinian frieze ====
[[File:Arch of Constantine - detail 3 (4293299626).jpg|thumb|Obsidio (detail)]]
[[File:FriezeNorth5.jpg|thumb|Liberalitas (detail)]]
The horizontal frieze below the round reliefs are the main parts from the time of Constantine,{{sfn|Aicher|2004|loc=[https://books.google.com/books?id=t6m9g5G8Z1YC&pg=PA184 p.&nbsp;184]}} running around the monument, one strip above each lateral archway and including the west and east sides of the arch. These "historical" reliefs depict scenes from the Italian campaign of Constantine against Maxentius which was the reason for the construction of the monument. The frieze starts at the western side with the Departure from [[Milan]] ([[Profectio]]). It continues on the southern, face, with the [[Battle of Verona (312)|Siege of Verona]] ([[wikt:obsidio|Obsidio]]) on the left (South west), an event which was of great importance to the war in Northern Italy. On the right (South east) is depicted the [[Battle of the Milvian Bridge]] ([[wikt:proelium|Proelium]]) with Constantine's army victorious and the enemy drowning in the river [[Tiber]].{{sfn|Aicher|2004|loc=[https://books.google.com/books?id=t6m9g5G8Z1YC&pg=PA184 p.&nbsp;184]}} On the eastern side, Constantine and his army enter Rome ([[wikt:ingressus|Ingressus]]); the artist seems to have avoided using imagery of the triumph, as Constantine probably did not want to be shown triumphant over the Eternal City. On the northern face, looking towards the city, are two strips with the emperor's actions after taking possession of Rome. On the left (North east) is Constantine speaking to the citizens on the [[Forum Romanum]] ([[wikt:oratio|Oratio]]), while to the right (North west) is the final panel with Constantine distributing money to the people ([[Liberalitas]]).{{sfn|Bandinelli|Torelli|1992}}{{sfn|Follo et al|2015}}
{{Gallery |width=160 | height=60 |align=center |File:RomaArcoCostantinoFregioCostantinianoLatoW.jpg|West: Profectio|File:Arco di costantino, fregio costantiniano 01.jpg|South west: Obsidio|File:Arco di costantino, fregio costantiniano 02.jpg|South east: Proelium|File:Arch of Constantine East Frieze.jpg|East: Ingressus|File:Arch of Constantine forum frieze.jpg|North east: Oratio|File:Arco di costantino, fregio costantiniano 04.jpg|North west: Liberalitas }}

===Inner sides of the archways===
In the central archway, there is one large panel of Trajan's Dacian War on each wall. Inside the lateral archways are eight portraits busts (two on each wall), destroyed to such an extent that it is no longer possible to identify them.