Arch of Hadrian in Athens

Brief information

Hadrian's Arch was erected not simply as a commemorative marker, but as a stone boundary between two Athens. In 131, the Athenians built it on the road from the old city, Plaka, to the new Roman quarter created by Hadrian. Therefore, the meaning of the arch is read not only in the form of its triumphal opening, but also in its position: it marked the passage from the city of Theseus to the city of the emperor.

This meaning is carved directly on its two sides. On the side facing the Acropolis, the inscription calls the place the ancient city of Theseus; on the opposite side, facing Hadrianopolis, it says that this is the city of Hadrian, not of Theseus. A single arch turns the road into a dispute between two founders: a mythical hero and a Roman ruler.

What to notice right away

It is worth comparing the lower opening and the upper superstructure. Below, the central arch is framed by pilasters with Corinthian capitals; at the corners stand similar but taller pilasters. Above, Corinthian columns and pilasters support an Ionic architrave, while in the middle there is an entablature with a triangular pediment. Thus the 18-meter-high structure looks not like a smooth wall with an opening, but like a boundary assembled from several architectural tiers.

The material is also important for reading the monument: the arch is made entirely of Pentelic marble, quarried on nearby Mount Pentelikon. The surface of the monument was chemically cleaned during restoration in 2006-2008. After that, it became especially noticeable that the main story here rests on stone, form, and two inscriptions facing in opposite directions.