Arch of Trajan (Mactaris)
The Arch of Trajan in the Tunisian town of Mactaris , today's Maktar , is a one-gate Roman arch of honor that was erected in 116 in honor of Emperor Trajan .
The arch formed the entrance to the forum , which was laid out at the beginning of the 2nd century, and was located in the south of the square, which was framed by porticoes on three sides . The arched passage is flanked by half-columns Corinthian order , which stand on cranked pedestals . They carry an Ionic entablature made of a smooth architrave and a smooth frieze zone on which the dedication inscription is attached. Above it is a triangular gable decorated with a tooth cut , Ionic kymatia and pearl rods . This blended architecture is framed by a larger side half column on each of the arched pillars. They too stand on cranked pedestals and wore a cranked console geison over the capitals . An entablature zone with architrave and frieze is unusually missing in this larger order. Above it was an attic , the function of which is unknown.
The year of its construction 116 is derived from the title of Emperor Trajan in the inscription on the arch. The inscription reads:
IMP · CAESARI · DIVI · NERVAE · F · NERVAE · TRAIANO · OPTIMO · AUG
GERMANICO · PARTHICO · P · M · TRIB · POTEST · XX · IMP · XII · COS · VI
[…] CAECILIUS · [F] AUSTINUS · PROCOS · DEDIC · D · D · P · P
"The Emperor Caesar Nerva Traianus, son of Divus Nerva , the best Augustus , the conqueror of the Germans , Armenians and Parthians , the Pontifex Maximus , which for the twentieth time tribunician power and the Imperatorenakklamation for the twelfth time received and for the sixth time Consul was , donated (this sheet) by decision of the decurions from public funds (...) the Proconsul Caecilius [F] austinus. "
The arch was erected on the occasion of the granting of Roman citizenship to parts of the local elite by Mactaris under Trajan.
See also
- Arch of Trajan for other triumphal arches of Trajan
literature
- Pierre Gros : L'architecture romaine du début du IIIe siècle av. J.-C. à la fin du Haut-Empire. Vol. 1: Monuments publics. Picard, Paris 1996, p. 78.
- Ingeborg Kader : Propylon and arched gate. Investigations on the Tetrapylon of Latakia and other early imperial arch monuments in the Middle East (= Damascene research. Vol. 7). von Zabern, Mainz 1996, p. 91.
- William L. MacDonald: The Architecture of the Roman Empire. Vol. 2: An Urban Appraisal. Yale University Press, New Haven 1986, p. 63. 66 Fig. 62. 63.
Web links
Remarks
- ↑ CIL 08, 11798 : Imp (eratori) Caesari divi Nervae f (ilio) Nervae Traiano Optimo Aug (usto) / Germanico Parthico p (ontifici) m (aximo) trib (unicia) potest (ate) XX imp (eratori) XII co (n) s (uli) VI / [3] Caecilius [F] austinus proco (n) s (ul) dedic (avit) d (ecreto) d (ecurionum) p (ecunia) p (ublica) .
Coordinates: 35 ° 51 '12.3 " N , 9 ° 12' 28.6" E