L’Arco dei Severi a Leptis Magna

The current monograph represents the full and complete publication of a key, landmark monument for the Roman imperial architecture - namely, the Severan Arch at Lepcis Magna. As a matter of fact, this well-known monument has long been investigated, excavated and restored by Italian archaeologists, from 1921 up to 2004, but, to date, never been published as a whole. Thus, the current book aims to fill up such a scientific gap, based on the thorough analysis of the documentation archived at the University of Macerata, Italy. It includes: the history of its excavation and the analysis of its restoration over the years, historically contextualized; the detailed study of its architecture (employed building materials, description of the structures, analysis of the decoration, recognition of the building phases); the position of the monument within the urban plan of the city, the historic framework and its place in the huge building activity during the Severan age at Lepcis, emphasizing its symbolic significance; the role of the arch within the architectural typology of Roman triumphal arches and, more generally, within the Roman provincial architecture, in comparison with "official" models. Some further notes about the already published sculptural decoration and about the issue of the inscription complete the whole study in additional, specific chapters. An introductory overview about the publication project, the history, and the significance of the analysed monument, by M.A. Rizzo Di Vita, is also included.