Triumphal arches were built to commemorate military or diplomatic victories and came to symbolize the achievements of imperial Rome. Their origins probably lie in temporary structures erected for military triumphs in Republican times.
Most monumental arches consisted of a single archway, above which there was an attic storey bearing a prominent dedicatory inscription and surmounted by a gilded bronze statue. Some arches were decorated with panels of relief sculpture pertinent to their commemorative purpose.
Rome had more than fifty triumphal arches. The Arch of Titus, completed posthumously circa AD 81, commemorated the emperor's capture of Jerusalem and victory over Judaea in AD 70-1. Carved panels under the archway depict Titus's triumphal procession and the removal of spoils from the temple of Jerusalem. The arch was built using Pentelic marble from Athens. Originally it was surmounted by a bronze chariot drawn by a team of four horses.
