An investigative team, comprising Dr. Saša Redžić, Dr. Ilija Danković, Dr. Mladen Jovičić, and Dr. Angelina Raičković, along with students Kristina Živković and Petar Kojadinović, has discovered remnants of a triumphal arch at the archaeological site of Viminacium.
This find represents a significant symbol of the architectural heritage of Roman civilization.
According to Dr. Miomir Korać, director of the Viminacium Archaeological Park, the arch was erected in honor of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, better known as Caracalla.
Dr. Korać noted that over the past two decades, the city has been a focus of exploration, with studies of baths, thermal spas, and an amphitheater, while the last residential quarter investigations were conducted half a century ago.
The research plan initially targeted the main street of Viminacium, known as Decumanus. The 10.40-meter-wide street was located, followed by excavations of a complex sewage system. Additionally, colonnades of pillars that existed on both sides of the street were confirmed.
“On a section of the street, in four places, the pavement is missing, and there we found square foundational footprints made of massive limestone pieces. It became clear that these were the foundations of a tetrapylon, a structure with four pillars and passages on all sides. There was no doubt that this was one of the hallmarks of Roman architecture – an arch or triumphal gate,” said Korać, as reported by Sputnik.
Korać explains that triumphal arches, originating in the Republican era, were meant to celebrate victories and the spoils of great military leaders: “They are typically freestanding structures, whether a simple arch spanning a street, a segmented type with three passages, or in the form of a tetrapylon with a single passage. The Viminacium triumphal arch is a tetrapylon with a single passage and an inscription field above the arch. Its dimensions are 10.40 by 6.25 meters, closely resembling the ArcodeiGavi in Verona. The Verona arch, standing at a full height of 12.70 meters and well-preserved, offers the closest analogy. Given their similar dimensions, the height of the Viminacium arch is likely around 12 meters. Its appearance can be speculated based on comparisons with similar structures, like Caracalla’s Arch in Djemila, Algeria, and architectural fragments found on site.”
He adds that a specific historical event stands out regarding the arch’s construction year: “Historical sources indicate that in the Upper Moesian capital Viminacium, around 195 or 196 AD, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, known as Caracalla, was elevated to Caesar, later Augustus, and successor to his father, Emperor Septimius Severus. Such an event, extremely significant for the fate of the entire empire, would have justified the construction of a triumphal arch in Viminacium itself. Caracalla reigned from 198 to 217 AD, co-ruling with his father from 198 to 211 AD.”
Evidence confirming the arch’s association with Caracalla includes a fragmented marble slab with preserved letters.
Eight letters in two lines read CAES/ANTO, carefully inscribed in Roman capitals. This fragment is part of a monumental slab bearing an inscription in honor of Emperor Caracalla.
Photo: Tanjug/ Arheološki institut