Arch of Septimius Severus

The Arch of Septimius Severus

The Rome audio-guided tour offers you an unobstructed view over the Arch of Septimius Severus and its superb bas-reliefs, the best-preserved monument of the Roman Forum.

A triumphal arch for a victory

Built in 203 after Jesus Christ, the arch was dedicated by the Senate to the emperor Septimius Severus and his sons, to commemorate their military victory over the Parthians, a people settled in the region of present-day Iran and long an enemy of Rome. Rising to about twenty metres high, it was, with other structures, among the monumental entrances of the Forum. If it is today better preserved than its neighbours, it is because in the Middle Ages, and until the fifteenth century, it supported a now-vanished church. Its highly worked reliefs represent Victories, genies, personifications and various divinities, as well as large panels depicting historical scenes. It is one of the most beautiful testimonies of Roman triumphal art still visible on the Forum.

What there is to see

The Arch of Septimius Severus impresses with its finely sculpted bas-reliefs, Victories, divinities and battle scenes, remarkably preserved. The best-preserved monument of the Forum, it bears witness to the triumphal art of imperial Rome. It is a major stage to grasp the grandeur of the Roman Forum.

Practical information

The Arch of Septimius Severus is at the end of the Roman Forum, near the Capitoline, in Rome. It can be discovered within the visit of the Forum, generally subject to a charge, according to hours to be checked on site.

What does the Arch of Septimius Severus commemorate?

The victory of the emperor Septimius Severus and his sons over the Parthians, celebrated by the Senate in 203 after Jesus Christ.

Why is it so well preserved?

Because in the Middle Ages, it supported a now-vanished church, which contributed to protecting it.