Arch of Titus

The Arch of Titus stands on the Via Sacra, just south-east of the Roman Forum. Built in about 81 AD by Emperor Domitian, it honours his brother Titus and the victory over the Jewish rebellion in Judaea. The arch’s panels show the triumphal procession of 71 AD, including sacred objects from Herod’s Temple. These carvings are among the few contemporary images of Temple treasures. The menorah from the relief later became the model for Israel’s state emblem. It also inspired many later triumphal arches, including the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The arch’s architecture mixes fluted and unfluted columns, altered during 19th-century restoration. Inside, deep coffers frame a central relief of Titus’s apotheosis. Two large panels line the passageway, one showing the spoils of Jerusalem, the other Titus in his triumphal chariot. Traces of yellow ochre paint remain on the menorah relief. The spandrels above hold winged figures representing victory. The keystone once bore statues, now lost. Visitors walk beneath the archway, passing the carved panels and coffered ceiling. The original inscription on the east side dedicates the monument to the deified Titus. A later inscription records its 19th-century restoration in travertine. The arch’s piers still show beam holes from its medieval use as a fortified tower. The foundations, exposed by lowered roadways, reveal its ancient travertine base.