TEXTUAL INSCRIPTIONS ON THE ARCH
Literal Text Quotation
"IMP CAES LUCIO SEPTIMIO M FIL SEVERO PIO PERTINACI AUG PATRI PATRIAE PARTHICO ARABICO ET PARTHICO ADIABENICO PONTIFIC MAXIMO TRIBUNIC POTEST XI IMP XI COS III PROCOS ET IMP CAES M AURELIO L FIL ANTONINO AUG PIO FELICI TRIBUNIC POTEST VI COS PROCOS P P OPTIMIS FORTISSIMISQUE PRINICIPIBUS OB REM PUBLICAM RESTITUTAM IMPERIUMQUE POPULI ROMANI PROPOGATUM INSIGNIBUS VIRTUTIBUS EORUM DOMI FORISQUE SPQR" |
Translation of the Text
"To the Imperator Caesar Lucius Septimius, son of Marcus, Severus Pius Pertinax Augustus, father of the fatherland, conqueror of the Parthians in Arabia and Assyria, Pontifex Maximus, with Tribunician powers 11 times, triumphing general 11 times, consul 3 times, and proconsul; and to the Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius, son of Lucius, Antoninus Augustus Pius Felix with tribunician powers 6 times, consul, proconsul, father of the fatherland, best and braves of princes, on account of the republic restored and the empire of the Roman people increased by their outstanding virtues at home and abroad, the Senate and the Roman people dedicate this arch."
Information About The Inscription
As can be seen in the introductory phrase, the emperor who ruled during the building of the arch, known today as Septimius Severus, used many titles and references to himself and to his son, Caracalla (whose name was Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus at the time of construction), in an attempt to paint his name highly in the public eye. By these words, Severus was able to establish himself and his soon-to-rule progeny as a long-term dynasty; this stability was needed for his office, him having come to power after being the last emperor standing at the end of the Year of the Five Emperors.
Bearing the titles which are generally associated with the emperor, "Caesar" and "Augustus", Severus was most likely trying to create a more stable ground to rule upon; using these phrases profusely would have helped him to establish himself and his descendents as the true imperial lineage of Rome, for these words had so long been associated with this all-powerful office in the minds of the general populace. Other phrases try to create ties between his family and emperors of the past, such as "son of Marcus", "Antoninus", and "Pius"; by using these names, Severus can take the Roman people back to times of greater prosperity and less ongoing civil discord, as was seen in the Year of the Five Emperors. The former phrase also sought to propagate Severus as a man who came from the seed of Marcus Aurelius; thus, giving the name of Severus more perceived legitimacy as the heir to the throne. Other observed terms which can be associated with the height of Roman power invested in one man are "father of the fatherland", "consul", "proconsul", and "tribunician powers".
Terms such as "Imperator" and "Pertinax" may strive to associate Severus with military power; he had a keen eye for the chief value of the power of the Roman militia, and he appeals to the armed forces with these words. In addition to general terms such as these, Severus also exaggerates the Roman Army's true success in the brief Parthian conquest led by him in order to emphasize his success as emperor with respect to the Roman virtue of civil peace through military conquest. This ideal is again reinforced with the phrase "triumphing general 11 times".
There is also an immense aspect of propaganda attributed to the inscribed text on the arch. In addition to Severus' over-inflating of the Roman triumph in the Parthian conquests and his claiming of adoption by Marcus Aurelius, he puts phrases such as "republic restored" and "the Senate" on the arch. At the point in time of the erection of this structure, any perceived power in the Senate was an illusion; the whole of Roman government was meticulously controlled by Severus and his advocates, and the Republic of Rome no longer actually technically existed.
Lastly, there is an appeal to the people of Rome in the text on the arch; among these appeals are phrases such as "empire of the Roman people increased by their outstanding virtues" and "Roman people dedicate this arch." By giving the Romans a sense of empowerment, Severus was able to decrease the possibility of uprisings or revolts among the people through flatteries. These words likely led many people to trust Severus as their ruler.
Interestingly, the name of Geta, Septimius Severus' other son, was originally inscribed on the arch along with the name of his brother, whose nickname was Caracalla. Following the murder of the Geta by Caracalla after the death of their father, a damnatio memoriae was issued against the now dead brother, and during this period of erasure from societal memory, Geta's name was deleted from the arch inscriptions and replaced by more references to Septimius Severus and the remaining brother.
"To the Imperator Caesar Lucius Septimius, son of Marcus, Severus Pius Pertinax Augustus, father of the fatherland, conqueror of the Parthians in Arabia and Assyria, Pontifex Maximus, with Tribunician powers 11 times, triumphing general 11 times, consul 3 times, and proconsul; and to the Imperator Caesar Marcus Aurelius, son of Lucius, Antoninus Augustus Pius Felix with tribunician powers 6 times, consul, proconsul, father of the fatherland, best and braves of princes, on account of the republic restored and the empire of the Roman people increased by their outstanding virtues at home and abroad, the Senate and the Roman people dedicate this arch."
Information About The Inscription
As can be seen in the introductory phrase, the emperor who ruled during the building of the arch, known today as Septimius Severus, used many titles and references to himself and to his son, Caracalla (whose name was Caesar Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus at the time of construction), in an attempt to paint his name highly in the public eye. By these words, Severus was able to establish himself and his soon-to-rule progeny as a long-term dynasty; this stability was needed for his office, him having come to power after being the last emperor standing at the end of the Year of the Five Emperors.
Bearing the titles which are generally associated with the emperor, "Caesar" and "Augustus", Severus was most likely trying to create a more stable ground to rule upon; using these phrases profusely would have helped him to establish himself and his descendents as the true imperial lineage of Rome, for these words had so long been associated with this all-powerful office in the minds of the general populace. Other phrases try to create ties between his family and emperors of the past, such as "son of Marcus", "Antoninus", and "Pius"; by using these names, Severus can take the Roman people back to times of greater prosperity and less ongoing civil discord, as was seen in the Year of the Five Emperors. The former phrase also sought to propagate Severus as a man who came from the seed of Marcus Aurelius; thus, giving the name of Severus more perceived legitimacy as the heir to the throne. Other observed terms which can be associated with the height of Roman power invested in one man are "father of the fatherland", "consul", "proconsul", and "tribunician powers".
Terms such as "Imperator" and "Pertinax" may strive to associate Severus with military power; he had a keen eye for the chief value of the power of the Roman militia, and he appeals to the armed forces with these words. In addition to general terms such as these, Severus also exaggerates the Roman Army's true success in the brief Parthian conquest led by him in order to emphasize his success as emperor with respect to the Roman virtue of civil peace through military conquest. This ideal is again reinforced with the phrase "triumphing general 11 times".
There is also an immense aspect of propaganda attributed to the inscribed text on the arch. In addition to Severus' over-inflating of the Roman triumph in the Parthian conquests and his claiming of adoption by Marcus Aurelius, he puts phrases such as "republic restored" and "the Senate" on the arch. At the point in time of the erection of this structure, any perceived power in the Senate was an illusion; the whole of Roman government was meticulously controlled by Severus and his advocates, and the Republic of Rome no longer actually technically existed.
Lastly, there is an appeal to the people of Rome in the text on the arch; among these appeals are phrases such as "empire of the Roman people increased by their outstanding virtues" and "Roman people dedicate this arch." By giving the Romans a sense of empowerment, Severus was able to decrease the possibility of uprisings or revolts among the people through flatteries. These words likely led many people to trust Severus as their ruler.
Interestingly, the name of Geta, Septimius Severus' other son, was originally inscribed on the arch along with the name of his brother, whose nickname was Caracalla. Following the murder of the Geta by Caracalla after the death of their father, a damnatio memoriae was issued against the now dead brother, and during this period of erasure from societal memory, Geta's name was deleted from the arch inscriptions and replaced by more references to Septimius Severus and the remaining brother.