Constantine’s Horse in the Roman Forum

Constantine, after his conquest of Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge, began to make Rome in his own image.  He added a colossal statue of himself in the Basilica that Maxentius had completed.  The marble fragments are on display in the Capitoline Museums, which now boasts a one to one reconstruction of the statue in the museum gardens. Constantine also inserted himself into the fabric of the Roman Forum, by adding a bronze equestrian statue of himself in the forum piazza.  He located it in line with the late antique rostra, which probably had been constructed by Diocletian.  

After the nineteenth century excavations of the forum, the rostra was mostly obliterated, but the raised base of the equestrian statue of Constantine still remains in situ atop the last pavement of the forum.  

So the late antique rostra in place

We see the original imperial w/ statuary of emperors-

So now Constantine sybmolically puts jhimelf at the head of this rostra with the placement of the equestrian statue.

Specifically – what do we see – describe

Compare to history in the forum- Domtiian’s very famous.

Later- Constantius and Septimius severus by ARch of SS

This one of the last and great- in a piazza pock-marked with so many statuary and shrines This base stands directly on the travertine pavement – consisting of fragments of bricks, travertine and marble – reused materials.

Maybe most interestingly ;

 Anicius Paulinus, consul

ordinarius et praefectus urbi in a . d . 334 (C/L

6.1141 = IL S 698). – summarize this inscription in translation please

The inscription is recorded in the

Einsiedeln sylloge (please define), which locates it in the middle of

the forum.

The statue is also listed by the N otitia  (please define) in Regio

VIII

Bibliopgrpahy

LTUR

RIchardson p. 144