The Present Consists of the Past: Analyzing the Arch of Constantine
Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Advisor
Deborah Chatr Aryamontri
Access Type
Event
Start Date
26-4-2024 9:45 AM
End Date
26-4-2024 10:44 AM
Description
In the heart of Rome, a large triumphal arch was constructed in 315 CE to honor Constantine and his triumph over Maxentius for power over of the Western Empire. The arch was built with haste, reusing a lot of older materials from other buildings, yet still survives today. The Arch of Constantine, which stands 21 meters high, is a composite of a variety Roman recycled pieces from earlier monuments, or spolia. The use of recycled sculptures is intriguing; these pieces were not just used to fill in blank space but were prominent components of the arch and some had been altered to represent people of their own time. These items also represented different artists work, creating a very unique combination of stylistic elements for the arch as a whole. This paper aims to analyze how the use of spolia illustrates in what way the present can be a culmination of the past, and how this is seen in the arch and Constantine’s honorary triumph. All of the great leaders that came before Constantine shaped his rule in some way. History influences the present and paved the way for the great success of Constantine.
The Present Consists of the Past: Analyzing the Arch of Constantine
In the heart of Rome, a large triumphal arch was constructed in 315 CE to honor Constantine and his triumph over Maxentius for power over of the Western Empire. The arch was built with haste, reusing a lot of older materials from other buildings, yet still survives today. The Arch of Constantine, which stands 21 meters high, is a composite of a variety Roman recycled pieces from earlier monuments, or spolia. The use of recycled sculptures is intriguing; these pieces were not just used to fill in blank space but were prominent components of the arch and some had been altered to represent people of their own time. These items also represented different artists work, creating a very unique combination of stylistic elements for the arch as a whole. This paper aims to analyze how the use of spolia illustrates in what way the present can be a culmination of the past, and how this is seen in the arch and Constantine’s honorary triumph. All of the great leaders that came before Constantine shaped his rule in some way. History influences the present and paved the way for the great success of Constantine.