The Arch of Constantine in Rome

Presenters

Austen LaRocca, Rutgers University

Abstract

In the words of Benito Mussolini, the Arch of Constantine “looms large” within the landscape of Rome. Today, the monument stands in a pedestrian area, surrounded by a single fence, making its current urban situation one of visual access. Unlike the nearby Roman Forum and Colosseum, the viewing experience of the Arch of Constantine costs nothing. But, beneath this accessibility lies a deeply fascist urban positioning.

The open space around the Arch of Constantine is the result of a fascist urban plan that reimagined the historic center of Rome as a set piece for imperial display. In particular the Via di San Gregorio and the Via dell’Impero feature the arch in a manner that accentuates its linearity and imposing form. This new streetscape enabled the arch to regularly serve as a centerpiece for parades, especially those of international significance such as the 1933 celebration for Italo Balbo or the 1936 visit of Adolf Hitler. The Arch of Constantine also regularly provided a backdrop for images of youths, in a powerful anachronistic montage of imperial past and fascist future. The prominence of the Arch of Constantine in the Mostra Augustea—as an inspiration for the exhibit’s façade, as a centrally placed architectural model, and as an image in a photomontage linking ancient and modern arches—further demonstrates the monument's significance in fascist ideology.

Though studies of fascist Romanità abound, the role of the Arch of Constantine and its heritage merit closer scrutiny. This paper will use historical photographs, posters, and comparative evidence to situate the arch more firmly within the fascist streetscape of Rome and examine the echoes of this ideology in its current urban situation.