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    Raymond Van Dam - Remembering Constantine at The Milvian Bridge - Cambridge University Press (2011) - 149

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    ram krishna
    This passage summarizes an iconographical narrative depicted on the Arch of Constantine that commented on the emperor's transformation and role in Rome. The narrative showed Constantine in five panels: in armor during the battle, wearing a military cloak as his troops paraded into Rome, and finally in a traditional toga as he distributed coins, suggesting he would restore Rome. This sequence demonstrated how Constantine was expected to appear in Rome as emperor, restoring the city's identity after it had become like a military camp during the previous century.

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    Raymond Van Dam - Remembering Constantine at The Milvian Bridge - Cambridge University Press (2011) - 149

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    ram krishna
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    This passage summarizes an iconographical narrative depicted on the Arch of Constantine that commented on the emperor's transformation and role in Rome. The narrative showed Constantine in five panels: in armor during the battle, wearing a military cloak as his troops paraded into Rome, and finally in a traditional toga as he distributed coins, suggesting he would restore Rome. This sequence demonstrated how Constantine was expected to appear in Rome as emperor, restoring the city's identity after it had become like a military camp during the previous century.

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    Raymond Van Dam - Remembering Constantine at the Milvian Bridge -Cambridge University Press (2011)-149

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    This passage summarizes an iconographical narrative depicted on the Arch of Constantine that commented on the emperor's transformation and role in Rome. The narrative showed Constantine in five panels: in armor during the battle, wearing a military cloak as his troops paraded into Rome, and finally in a traditional toga as he distributed coins, suggesting he would restore Rome. This sequence demonstrated how Constantine was expected to appear in Rome as emperor, restoring the city's identity after it had become like a military camp during the previous century.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    40 views1 page

    Raymond Van Dam - Remembering Constantine at The Milvian Bridge - Cambridge University Press (2011) - 149

    Uploaded by

    ram krishna
    This passage summarizes an iconographical narrative depicted on the Arch of Constantine that commented on the emperor's transformation and role in Rome. The narrative showed Constantine in five panels: in armor during the battle, wearing a military cloak as his troops paraded into Rome, and finally in a traditional toga as he distributed coins, suggesting he would restore Rome. This sequence demonstrated how Constantine was expected to appear in Rome as emperor, restoring the city's identity after it had become like a military camp during the previous century.

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    of 1

    shaping memories in the west 133

    of the earliest interpretive accounts of Constantine’s invasion and the


    battle of 312. Like those literary accounts, this iconographical narrative
    commented on the transformation of the emperor himself, the nature
    of his emperorship, and even, discreetly, on religion. But in contrast to
    those accounts, the uniquely distinguishing characteristic of this par-
    ticular narrative was its intense focus on “Romeness,” the importance
    of Rome.44
    The iconography first correlated the stages of Constantine’s invasion
    and visit with the transformation of the emperor. Constantine appeared
    in five of the panels. On the panel depicting the siege the emperor was
    shown standing among his troops, wearing full battle armor and Gallic
    trousers. On the panel depicting the battle at the Milvian Bridge he
    was again wearing armor and a sword on his left hip. After the battle he
    entered the city. On the panel depicting the parade of his troops into
    Rome he was shown wearing a long military cloak. Constantine was
    still wearing that long cloak on the panel depicting his speech to the
    people in the Forum. Standing on the Rostra with him was a crowd
    of senators wearing togas. Long ago Augustus himself had ordered
    that only men wearing a toga could enter the Forum. During the past
    century, however, the number of soldiers stationed in or near Rome
    had been increased considerably, and the city had been surrounded
    by a great wall. Increasingly Rome had become “no different from a
    military camp.” Now the iconography of the arch was suggesting that
    Constantine could restore the capital as “the city of the toga.” On the
    next panel the emperor himself was finally shown wearing a traditional
    toga as he distributed coins to senators and people.45
    This sequence of panels had hence demonstrated how Constantine
    was expected to appear, and behave, as an emperor at Rome, not like

    44
    For discussion of “Romeness” during the fourth century, see Chenault (2008).
    45
    For Constantine’s clothing as depicted on the frieze, see L’Orange and von Gerkan (1939)
    61–62 (siege), 67 (bridge), 74 (procession), 86 (Forum), 96 (distribution) + Tafeln 6–17, with
    Van Dam (2007) 47. Augustus’ directive: Suetonius, Augustus 40.5; Rome as military camp:
    Dio, Historiae Romanae 74.16.2; city of the toga: Prudentius, Peristephanon 12.56; with Busch
    (2007), on the large number of soldiers, possibly more than thirty-five thousand, stationed
    in or near Rome during the third century.

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