The Arch of Septimius Severus stands at the northwest end of the Roman Forum, at the foot of the Capitoline Hill. The Senate dedicated it to the emperor Septimius Severus and his sons Caracalla and Geta to celebrate his victories over the Parthians in the east. It is a triple-passage arch more than twenty meters high, decorated with reliefs of the Parthian campaigns, figures of Victory and captives. The inscription originally named both sons, but after Caracalla had his brother Geta murdered and condemned his memory, Geta's name was erased and replaced. Over the centuries the Forum silted up and the arch was partly buried, until it was excavated in the 19th century.
Before and after
- 193 CEYear of the Five Emperors
- 2nd centuryConstruction of Aqueduct of Segovia
- 2nd centuryPublication of Book of Han
- c. 200sTeotihuacan becomes the largest city in the Americas
- 203 CEOrigins of Arch of Septimius Severus (Roman Forum)
- 212 CEConstitutio Antoniniana
- 216 CEConstruction of Baths of Caracalla
- from 220 CE to 280 CEThree Kingdoms
- from 220 CE to 638 CEGhassanids
More in Civilizations & archaeology
- from 31st century BCE to 14th century BCEConstruction of Stonehenge
- 13th century BCEAncient Celts
- 600 BCEFounding of Milan
- 80 CEThe Colosseum is inaugurated
- from 285 CE to 1453Byzantine Empire
- 25 March 421 CEFounding of Venice
The era
This moment belongs to the Ancient civilizations (3,200 BCE to 500 CE), writing, cities and empires. You can also browse everything in the 3rd century.