Arch of Titus Menorah Relief
Roman soldiers carrying the Temple menorah and table in Titus' triumph
Found 81 — Never lost; built by Domitian to honor his brother Titus. Restored by Giuseppe Valadier (1821–23); traces of yellow paint on the menorah found by the Arch of Titus Project (Steven Fine, Yeshiva University) in 2012
Where Via Sacra, Roman Forum, Rome (Italy)
Dates from c. 81–82 CE · Roman Imperial (Flavian) · Aftermath of the Temple's destruction
Now at In place; Roman Forum, Rome
How Arch of Titus Menorah Relief was found
The arch has stood on the Via Sacra since antiquity, partly embedded in medieval fortifications until the 19th-century restoration. UV-VIS spectrometry in 2012 detected original yellow ochre on the menorah's arms.
What it is
A marble relief panel inside the arch's passage showing soldiers with laurel wreaths carrying the seven-branched menorah, the Table of Showbread with the silver trumpets resting on it, and placards, through a triumphal gate. The opposite panel shows Titus in his chariot.
Why it matters for the Bible
It is the only contemporary image of the Temple's furnishings, made by people who saw them paraded through Rome in 71 CE, as Josephus describes. It confirms the destruction Yeshua foretold and shows the menorah's shape (with a stepped base that puzzles scholars, since the Torah describes no base). Israel's state emblem is modeled on this relief.
The Hebrew word: me-no-RAH
מְנוֹרָה
מְנוֹרָה is pronounced me-no-RAH and means lampstand; the seven-branched Temple menorah (Strong's H4501).
Places
- Rome — רוֹמָא (RO-ma) — Greek Rhome (G4516)
Events
Destruction of the Temple (70 CE) · Triumph of Vespasian and Titus (71 CE)
Arch of Titus Menorah Relief in Scripture
Exodus 25:30 The Table of Showbread, also shown on the relief.
Exodus 25:31-37 The design of the menorah, seen here as the Romans carried it. (First mention of Menorah (candlestick).)
Matthew 24:1-2 Yeshua's prophecy that the Temple would be thrown down — the relief shows its treasures carried away.
Questions people ask
What is Arch of Titus Menorah Relief?
A marble relief panel inside the arch's passage showing soldiers with laurel wreaths carrying the seven-branched menorah, the Table of Showbread with the silver trumpets resting on it, and placards, through a triumphal gate. The opposite panel shows Titus in his chariot.
When was Arch of Titus Menorah Relief discovered?
It was found in 81 by Never lost; built by Domitian to honor his brother Titus. Restored by Giuseppe Valadier (1821–23); traces of yellow paint on the menorah found by the Arch of Titus Project (Steven Fine, Yeshiva University) in 2012, at Via Sacra, Roman Forum, Rome.
Where is Arch of Titus Menorah Relief today?
In place; Roman Forum, Rome.
Which Bible verses does Arch of Titus Menorah Relief relate to?
Exodus 25:30, Exodus 25:31-37, Matthew 24:1-2.
Related discoveries
- חֻרְבָּןHerodian Street and the 70 CE CollapseThe paved market street beneath the Western Wall, still buried under stones thrown down by Titus' soldiers
- מְנוֹרָהMagdala Synagogue and the Magdala StoneA 1st-century synagogue in Mary Magdalene's town, with a carved stone showing the Temple menorah
- מְנוֹרָהMenorah Coin of Mattathias AntigonusThe last Hasmonean king's bronze coin, the earliest known picture of the Temple menorah
- מְנוֹרָהThe Ophel Treasure and Gold Menorah MedallionA Byzantine-era hoard with a 10-cm gold medallion showing menorah, shofar and Torah scroll
- צְלָבAlexamenos GraffitoThe earliest picture of the crucifixion — a mocking scratch on a Roman wall
- בֵּית הָאֲסוּרִיםMamertine Prison (Carcer Tullianum), RomeThe Forum dungeon where tradition holds Peter and Paul were held before death
Sources
- Fine, The Menorah: From the Bible to Modern Israel (2016)
- Wikipedia: Arch of Titus