 The so-called Arch ofJanus was not actually dedicated to thatRoman god; it is the only surviving ancientquadrifronstriumphal arch inRome | |
   Arch of Janus Shown within Rome | |
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| Location | Rome |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°53′22″N12°28′58″E / 41.88944°N 12.48278°E /41.88944; 12.48278 |
TheArch of Janus is the onlyquadrifronstriumphal arch preserved inRome. It was set up in the early 4th century AD at a crossroads at the northeastern limit of theForum Boarium,[1] close to theVelabrum, over theCloaca Maxima drain that went from theForum to theRiver Tiber.
The significance of the arch is poorly understood: it is thought to have been a boundary marker rather than a triumphal arch.[2] An alternative view is that it was built to provide shelter for the traders at the Forum Boarium cattle market.[3] Some researchers believe it was dedicated toConstantine I orConstantius II and was known as the Arch of the deified Constantine. It is 16 meters high and 12 meters wide; it was originally higher, but theattic storey was removed in 1830 in the erroneous belief it was all medieval.
Its modern name probably dates from theRenaissance or later, and was not used to describe it in classical antiquity. The name is derived from the structure's four-fronted, four-arched configuration. The ancient Roman godJanus (Ianus Quadrifons), was sometimes depicted with four faces[3] and there are Janus-related structures mentioned in historic descriptions of ancient Rome.
Each pier of the arch has two rows of three niches. It seems logical that statues would have filled these 48 niches but none has been identified. Thekeystone at the apex of the central arch on the north side is thought to depictMinerva,[2] although others believe it may bePalladium.[1]
It was built usingspolia, i.e. material from earlier buildings, including bricks, together with pottery shards, and was covered with white marble, also from earlier buildings.[1][4]
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In theMiddle Ages, theFrangipane family transformed the building into a fortress, and so it survived intact until 1830. Then, theattic and top were torn down because they were erroneously believed to not belong to the original structure. However, there is a staircase within the north-west pier which would have given access to this top floor. Iron pins originally held together the marble blocks but were removed in the Middle Ages, leading to the monument's present pock-marked look.[2] Fragments of the dedicatory inscription are still preserved inside the nearby church ofSan Giorgio in Velabro.
The arch has not been accessible to the public since the explosion of a bomb in front of San Giorgio in Velabro, on the night of 27 July 1993. It is the one monument of the Forum Boarium that remains unrestored.[4] TheArch of Malborghetto, just outside Rome, also includes the remnants of a former Roman quadrifons arch.
Media related toArco di Giano at Wikimedia Commons
| Preceded by Arch of Drusus | Landmarks of Rome Arch of Janus | Succeeded by Arch of Septimius Severus |
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