{{Infobox monument , name = Arch of Caracalla , native_name = Thebeste , image = Porte Caracalla - Tébessa باب كركلا - تبسة.jpg , caption = , location =

Tébessa Tébessa or Tebessa ( ar, تبسة ''Tibissa'', ''Tbessa'' or ''Tibesti''), the classical Theveste, is the capital city of Tébessa Province region of northeastern Algeria. It hosts several historical landmarks, the most important one being the w ...

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

, map_image = , map_text = , map_width = , coordinates = {{coord, 35, 24, 17.6, N, 8, 7, 22.1, E, type:landmark_region:DZ_dim:35, display=title , type =

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

triumphal arch A triumphal arch is a free-standing monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road. In its simplest form a triumphal arch consists of two massive piers connected by an arch, crow ...

, material = , length = , width = , height = , begin = , complete = , dedicated_to = Emperor

Caracalla Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (born Lucius Septimius Bassianus, 4 April 188 – 8 April 217), better known by his nickname "Caracalla" () was Roman emperor from 198 to 217. He was a member of the Severan dynasty, the elder son of Emperor S ...

The Arch of Caracalla is a

tetrapylon A tetrapylon ( el, τετράπυλον, "four gates"), plural ''tetrapyla'', known in Latin as a ''quadrifrons'' (literally "four fronts") is a type of ancient Roman monument of cubic shape, with a gate on each of the four sides, generally built ...

in Thebeste, located in present-day

Tébessa Province Tébessa ( ar, ولاية تبسة) is a province (''wilayah'') of Algeria. Tébessa is also the name of the capital, which in ancient times it was known as ''Theveste''. Another important city is El Ouenza. Tébessa is located only 20 kilometer ...

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

. It was constructed during the early 3rd century.

History

The

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 ...

was built between 211 and 214 by means of a testamentary donation of Gaius Cornelius Egrilianus,

Prefect Prefect (from the Latin ''praefectus'', substantive adjectival form of ''praeficere'': "put in front", meaning in charge) is a magisterial title of varying definition, but essentially refers to the leader of an administrative area. A prefect's ...

of the XIV legion, who was originally from Thebeste. The figure set aside for the construction was 250,000 sesterti. Later, the arch was reused as the northern gate of the city wall in the

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...

period. The lateral arches were walled up, as was the northern one, until they were reopened by French military engineers during the colonial period.

Description

In form, the Arch of Caracalla is roughly cubical, being 10.94m on the side and to the top of the entablature. On the

pylons Pylon may refer to: Structures and boundaries * Pylon (architecture), the gateway to the inner part of an Ancient Egyptian temple or Christian cathedral * Pylon, a support tower structure for suspension bridges or highways * Pylon, an orange mar ...

, beside the spans are pairs of columns with

Corinthian Corinthian or Corinthians may refer to: *Several Pauline epistles, books of the New Testament of the Bible: **First Epistle to the Corinthians **Second Epistle to the Corinthians **Third Epistle to the Corinthians (Orthodox) *A demonym relating to ...

capitals, detached from the wall and with pilasters behind, supported by a podium from which their pedestals extend. The main

entablature An entablature (; nativization of Italian , from "in" and "table") is the superstructure of moldings and bands which lies horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and ...

is above the pairs of columns and continues in the recess above the spans. Medallions with the busts of

divinities Divinity or the divine are things that are either related to, devoted to, or proceeding from a deity.divine

are located above each of the spans. On the

attic An attic (sometimes referred to as a '' loft'') is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building; an attic may also be called a ''sky parlor'' or a garret. Because attics fill the space between the ceiling of the ...

on three sides dedications are inscribed to the

deified Apotheosis (, ), also called divinization or deification (), is the glorification of a subject to divine levels and, commonly, the treatment of a human being, any other living thing, or an abstract idea in the likeness of a deity. The term has ...

Emperor

Septimius Severus Lucius Septimius Severus (; 11 April 145 – 4 February 211) was Roman emperor from 193 to 211. He was born in Leptis Magna (present-day Al-Khums, Libya) in the Roman province of Africa (Roman province), Africa. As a young man he advanced thro ...

Julia Domna Julia Domna (; – 217 AD) was Roman empress from 193 to 211 as the wife of Emperor Septimius Severus. She was the first empress of the Severan dynasty. Domna was born in Emesa (present-day Homs) in Roman Syria to an Arab family of priests of ...

and

. On the fourth side is a reconstructed Byzantine inscription, originally found in the infill of the vaults, which refers to the incorporation of the arch into the Byzantine city wall as the work of the ''

magister militum (Latin for "master of soldiers", plural ) was a top-level military command used in the later Roman Empire, dating from the reign of Constantine the Great. The term referred to the senior military officer (equivalent to a war theatre commander, ...

Solomon Solomon (; , ),, ; ar, سُلَيْمَان, ', , ; el, Σολομών, ; la, Salomon also called Jedidiah (Hebrew language, Hebrew: , Modern Hebrew, Modern: , Tiberian Hebrew, Tiberian: ''Yăḏīḏăyāh'', "beloved of Yahweh, Yah"), ...

. At the centre on all sides, the entablature supported an

aedicula In ancient Roman religion, an ''aedicula'' (plural ''aediculae'') is a small shrine, and in classical architecture refers to a niche covered by a pediment or entablature supported by a pair of columns and typically framing a statue,"aedicula, n." ...

which held a statue. The reconstruction of the very top of the arch is the subject of some debate among scholars: According to Meunier an octagonal lantern would have stood there with its base hidden by the aediculae, while according to another there would have been a low

dome A dome () is an architectural element similar to the hollow upper half of a sphere. There is significant overlap with the term cupola, which may also refer to a dome or a structure on top of a dome. The precise definition of a dome has been a m ...

. According to Bacchielli,Bacchielli 1987, cited in bibliography. the four aediculae, connected by railings contained the statues of the Deified Septimius Severus, the Deified Julia Domna, Caracalla and

Geta Geta may refer to: Places *Geta (woreda), a woreda in Ethiopia's Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region *Geta, Åland, a municipality in Finland *Geta, Nepal, a town in Attariya Municipality, Kailali District, Seti Zone, Nepal *Get� ...

Notes

Bibliography

*Jean Meunier, "L'arc de Caracalla à Théveste (Tébessa). Relevé et restitution", in ''Revue africaine'', 82, 1938, pp. 84–106. *Silvio Accame, "Il testamento di C. Cornelio Egriliano e l'arco di Caracalla in Tébessa", in ''Epigrahica'', 3, 1941, pp. 237–243. *Umberto Ciotti, "Del coronamento degli archi quadrifronti. I. Gli archi di Tébessa e di Tripoli", in ''Bullettino della commissione archeologica comunale di Roma'', 72, 1946–1948, pp. 21–42. *Pietro Romanelli, "Theveste", in ''Enciclopedia dell'arte antica'' 1966
testo on line
sul sito Treccani.it.) *Lidiano Bacchielli, "Il testamento di C. Cornelio Egriliano e il coronamento dell'arco di Caracalla a Tebessa", in ''L'Africa romana. Atti del IV convegno di studio (Sassari, 12-14 dicembre 1986), Sassari 1987, pp. 295–321. *Silvio De Maria, "Arco onorario e trionfale", in ''Enciclopedia dell'arte antica. II supplemento'', 1994
copy online
on the site Treccani.it *Enrico Zanini, "Tebessa", in ''Enciclopedia dell'arte medievale'', 2000
testo on line
sul sito Treccani.it). Ancient Roman buildings and structures in Algeria Ancient Roman triumphal arches Caracalla Buildings and structures in Tébessa Province

History

Description

See also

Notes

Bibliography