Role Of Propagand The Arch Of Titus

The Arch of Titus was built in 81 CE by the emperor at the time, Emperor Domitian. The Arch is built from pentelic marble from the Mt Pentos quarry in Athens, and measures at 4.75 metres long, 5.36 metres wide and 8.3 metres high. Over the years, the Arch suffered considerable damage, and was completely dismantled and rebuilt in 1821 by architect Giuseppe Valadier. The Arch of Titus is a building that stands only for the purpose of propaganda, and promotes many ideologies - ideologies being the system of ideas and beliefs which shape the opinions of the political and social society. This includes religion, showing the Romans' representation of divine beings; as well as the political ideology of showing the glory of Rome as a city. Emperors

The Arch is built over the Via Sacra, which translates to ‘Sacred Way’. As shown in image 1, the Via Sacra was the road in Rome that ran from the top of the Capitoline Hill (1.B. ), to the Flavian Amphitheatre (1.C. ), through important religious sites such as the Temples of Venus and Roma (1.D.). The Via Sacra was considered the main street of Ancient Rome, and was also in the religious and administrative centre of Rome, which was the area in Rome shown by the yellow dotted line on image 1. The religious and administrative centre, better known as the Roman Forum, was the area in Rome that was home to the majority of the city’s most important temples and monuments. The location of the Arch on the Via Sacra and in the Roman Forum meant that it was constantly in view to the people of Rome, with a consistent flow of people walking along the Via Sacra, and therefore underneath the Arch, every day, able to admire the architecture and celebrations carved into the Arch. The Arch was built to memorialise the victory of Titus in Judaea, and referring to image 2, the Arch stood on a hill, dominating the view of the Romans, therefore the positioning of the Arch was intentional, a building built for the purpose of propaganda, as a constant reminder of the glory of Titus, and therefore the glory of

After the victorious Judaean campaign, where Titus led the army in the Jewish war and sack of Jerusalem in 70 CE, Flavius Josephus wrote, “[Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian] made a glorious appearance, and rode on a horse that was worthy of admiration.” He spoke of the triumph, and referencing the image shown of the relief. The carvings on this panel, like most others on the Arch of Titus, use the technique of Flavian illusionism, using low relief figures in the background, and high relief figures in the foreground, to create a sense of depth and shadowing, this provides a sense of realism to the sculpture, making it more pleasing to view. The panel depicts Titus (4.A.). dressed in a senatorial toga. The choice of outfit is significant to Titus as a person, because instead of being dressed in military armour, his toga shows that he was a man of the people, he is depicted to be known as a senator first, working for the people of Rome, rather than a general. Titus is driving a 4-horse-drawn chariot, known as a quadriga (4.B. He holds the reins of the chariot in his left hand, and his right hand is raised. Damage over time has removed what he is holding, but it can be assumed he is holding a baton of some sort, as a show of his victory. Image 4 shows a speculation of what was most likely missing due to damage. Roma, the goddess of Rome, leads the horses