The Arch of Fabius ( la, Fornix Fabianus) was an

ancient Roman In modern historiography, ancient Rome refers to Roman civilisation from the founding of the city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD. It encompasses the Roman Kingdom (753–509 BC ...

arch An arch is a vertical curved structure that spans an elevated space and may or may not support the weight above it, or in case of a horizontal arch like an arch dam, the hydrostatic pressure against it. Arches may be synonymous with vaul ...

located at the eastern end of the

Roman Forum The Roman Forum, also known by its Latin name Forum Romanum ( it, Foro Romano), is a rectangular forum (plaza) surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of the city of Rome. Citizens of the ancient ...

. Built in 121 BCE by

Quintus Fabius Maximus Allobrogicus Quintus Fabius Maximus Allobrogicus, was a Roman statesman and general who was elected consul in 121 BC. During his consulship he fought against the Arverni and the Allobroges whom he defeated in 120 BC. He was awarded a triumph and the agnomen All ...

to celebrate his victory over the

Allobroges The Allobroges (Gaulish: *''Allobrogis'', 'foreigner, exiled'; grc, Ἀλλοβρίγων, Ἀλλόβριγες) were a Gallic people dwelling in a large territory between the Rhône river and the Alps during the Iron Age and the Roman period. ...

, it was the first triumphal arch built within or adjacent to the forum. Considered by the Romans as one of the boundaries of the Roman Forum, it traversed the ''

Via Sacra The Via Sacra (, "''Sacred Street''") was the main street of ancient Rome, leading from the top of the Capitoline Hill, through some of the most important religious sites of the Forum (where it is the widest street), to the Colosseum. The road ...

'' and was located between the

House of the Vestals The House of the Vestal Virgins (; it, Casa delle Vestali) was the residence of Vestal Virgins, located behind the circular Temple of Vesta at the eastern edge of the Roman Forum, between the Regia and the Palatine Hill. The ''domus publica'', whe ...

and the ''

Regia The Regia ("Royal house") was a two-part structure in Ancient Rome lying along the Via Sacra at the edge of the Roman Forum that originally served as the residence or one of the main headquarters of kings of Rome and later as the office of the ...

'', most probably at the western end of the Regia.Höcker, Christoph (Kissing). (2006) "Fornix" ''Brills New Pauly.'' Retrieved from https://referenceworks-brillonline-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/entries/brill-s-new-pauly/fornix-e413930?s.num=0&s.f.s2_parent=s.f.book.brill-s-new-pauly&s.q=fornix. The arch was probably built of

tufa Tufa is a variety of limestone formed when carbonate minerals precipitate out of water in unheated rivers or lakes. Geothermally heated hot springs sometimes produce similar (but less porous) carbonate deposits, which are known as travertine. ...

and faced with

travertine Travertine ( ) is a form of terrestrial limestone deposited around mineral springs, especially hot springs. It often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, cream-colored, and even rusty varieties. It is formed by a pro ...

, and adorned with statues of Quintus Fabius and his family. The arch was restored by Fabius’s grandson in 57 BCE. Its fate after that is uncertain. Due to its location, as that part of the forum was repeatedly pillaged for building materials throughout the centuries, nothing of the arch remains. Although inscriptions from the Arch of Fabius were uncovered in 1540 and 1543, these have also been lost.

References

{{reflist Ancient Roman triumphal arches in Rome