Arch of Titus Reliefs

Gap fill exercise

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   70      bend      chariot      death      depth      inner      interior      Jerusalem      lictors      movement      north      propagandist      relief      Sacred      sacrifice      seven      south      Titus      under      upper      Victory   
Describe the decoration on the Arch.

A minor sculptural frieze on the entablature, beneath the attic, is preserved only on the east side
1. it depicts a procession principally of civil and military officials, and of animals being led to sacrifice
2. below this in the spandrels are reliefs of winged women, personifying
3. on the keystones of the archway are a male (on the west) and a female (on the east) figure, whose significance is doubtful

The major sculptural decoration is set within the archway on the sides of the piers and on the vault
1. the vault was decorated with coffers sculptured for the most part with architectural mouldings and rosettes
2. in the centre of the top of the vault is a panel depicting as an eagle ascending to heaven in his apotheosis
3. on the inner sides of the piers are two large-scale panels
4. the north panel shows Titus in his triumphal , attended by divinities and the with the fasces (rods)
5. on the south is another part of the procession, with men carrying the spoils of war, sacred objects from the Temple in

Arch of Titus South Relief


What was the function of the monument?

1. The Arch of Titus, Rome, was erected after the emperor's , to commemorate chiefly the capture of Jerusalem in AD. On the coffered soffit of the arch and the wall faces below it are reliefs of the emperor and spoils from the Temple in Jerusalem. The purpose of the arch is obvious from its sculptural decoration. The arch is set along the Way and, unlike other arches it was made to be walked . So the reliefs not surprisingly represent parts of Titus's procession along this road and were placed on the of the archway.
2. Successful generals would proceed along the Via Sacra and pass through the arch on their way to make a at the Temple of Jupiter.

Arch of Titus North Relief


Comment on the stylistic devices used in the reliefs.

1. Wheeler is critical of the depiction of the chariot - awkward angle - on the panel
2. Others point out the space and that is apparent in the south panel
3. The part is relatively empty, in contrast to the Ara Pacis Augustae friezes
4. In both panels a sense of is injected into the scenes by the placement of
· the dominant figure in the north frieze or
· an object: the -branched candlestick (menorah) in the frieze
5. The depth of the relief varies, increasing towards the centre
6. So it is as if the procession and the chariot-horses are swinging around a in the road, as indeed they had to just beyond the Arch to turn north.
7. We should perhaps take this into account when viewing the perspective of the chariot group.