There are many biblical artifacts that archeologists have discover and there are many more to be discovered. Each artifact gives us clues about events that have happened in the bible and some even give us new information that we have never heard of before. Each artifact tells a story about the past and what would go on back in the time when the artifact was made. An artifact that was very interesting to me and my group is one that is still standing today. It is the Arch of Titus. The reason why I chose this was because it is so big and still standing in Italy today. The arch of Titus has a rich history, has inscriptions on it, and is very detailed in art which gives us information on events on the Temple period artifacts.
The arch of Titus is an arch in Italy. It is located on the Via Sacra, Rome which is just to the south-east of the Roman Forum. The arch was built by the Roman Emperor Domitian in 82 AD. Roman Emperor Domitian was the brother of Titus to whom the arch was built for. The arch was built shortly after the death of Titus to commemorate the many victories and battles that Titus fought in, including the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD. It is a 1st century honorific arch. This arch was one that inspired many others including the 1806 Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France, completed in 1836. Rabirius, who is sometimes credited with the Colosseum, is the favored architect who is believed to have built this arch. In the middle ages it was turned into a fortified tower by the Frangipani family. The Arch was also restored in 1817. There are some inscriptions on the Arch. It has some from before and after it was restored. Before it was restored it said, “SENATVS POPVLVSQVE·ROMANVS DIVO·TITO·DIVI·VESPASIANI·F(ILIO) VESPASIANO·AVGVSTO” which means “The Roman Senate and People (dedicate this) to the divine Titus Vespasianus Augustus, son of the divine Vespasian." This was on one side of the arch and on the other side opposite of this was the new inscriptions after it was restored. It says, “INSIGNE · RELIGIONIS · ATQVE · ARTIS · MONVMENTVM VETVSTATE · FATISCENS PIVS · SEPTIMVS · PONTIFEX · MAX(IMVS) NOVIS · OPERIBVS · PRISCVM · EXEMPLAR · IMITANTIBVS FVLCIRI · SERVARIQVE · IVSSIT ANNO · SACRI · PRINCIPATVS · EIVS · XXIIII” which means, “(This) monument, remarkable in terms of both religion and art, had weakened from age: Pius the Seventh, Supreme Pontiff, by new works on the model of the ancient exemplar ordered it reinforced and preserved. • In the year of his sacred rulership the 24th •.” There is also many other pictures and decorations on the arch. The arch is very large and it measures 13.50 meters wide, 15.40 high, and 4.75 deep while the inner archway is 8.30 meters high and 5.36 wide. It is made out of pentelic marble. The roof of the archway is covered with a picture of the apotheosis of Titus. The sculptural program also includes two panel reliefs lining the passageway within the arch. Both commemorate the triumph celebrated by Titus and his father Vespasian in the summer of 71. The south panel depicts the spoils taken from the Temple in Jerusalem. This gives us good information about them. The Golden Candelabra or Menorah is the main focus and is carved in very deeply. There are also some other sacred objects being carried in the triumphal procession are the Gold Trumpets and the Table of Shew bread. These spoils were originally gilded with gold, with the background in blue but they have decayed over time. The north panel depicts Titus as triumphator. It shoes some of his victories and events. The arch of Titus has given us a lot of information about many different things including some from the temple in Jerusalem. This is why the arch is a biblical artifact. |