The Arch Of Constantine And The Meta Sudans
The Arch of Constantine
Constantine had his famous arch built in AD 315, the tenth year of his reign, to celebrate his victory over Maxentius at the Milvian bridge in 312. The different panels on the arch date from the reigns of Hadrian, Trajan, Marcus Aurelius, and Constantine himself, and they were a political statement showing the continuity of empire to put him on a par with his illustrious predecessors. He had their faces remodelled to resemble his own.
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The Meta Sudans
The Meta Sudans was built at the point where the Augustan regions II, III, IV, and X converged.
It gets its name from the conical shape of a circus (Meta) and a spout of water (Sudans). The fountain was built close to where Augustus was born, maybe even marking the spot. A fountain stood there in AD 65 (coins from AD 80 show a representation of it), but the latest fountain was that built by Domitian in 96, though the basin around it was built around the time of Constantine. In photographs from the beginning of this century clear, free standing, remains of the fountain can be seen. Now all that can be seen is the circular foundations in the photograph above because, unfortunately, the monument was demolished by Mussolini to build a road. And no. The road isn't there any more. Nice one Benito.
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