Heritage & monuments
Arch of Septimius Severus (Roman Forum)
The Arch of Septimius Severus at the northwestern end of the Roman Forum is a white marble triumphal arch dedicated in 203 AD to commemorate the Parthian victories of Emperor Septimius Severus and his two sons, Caracalla and Geta, in the two campaigns against the Parthians of 194–195 and 197–199. After the death of Septimius Severus, his sons Caracalla and Geta were initially joint Emperors. Caracalla had Geta assassinated in Rome; in the practice now known as damnatio memoriae, Geta's memorials were destroyed and all images or mentions of him were removed from street buildings and monuments....
What it is
The Arch of Septimius Severus stands at the northwestern edge of the Roman Forum, close to the base of the Capitoline Hill. It's a white marble triumphal arch dedicated in 203 AD to mark Emperor Septimius Severus's military victories over the Parthians. The reliefs on the arch depict scenes from those campaigns, and it's one of the better-preserved monuments in the Forum, still carrying its original inscription. Look closely at the inscription and you'll notice an erased section: it originally named Severus's son Geta, whose name was chiselled out after his brother Caracalla had him killed and ordered his memory wiped from public monuments.
Getting there
The arch sits inside the Roman Forum archaeological area, walkable from central Rome. From Piazza Venezia it's about a 10-minute walk down Via dei Fori Imperiali. From Termini station, it's roughly 20-25 minutes on foot, or a short ride on the metro (Colosseo stop on Line B) followed by a walk of a few minutes.
How much time to allow
You'll only need a few minutes to view the arch itself, but it's one stop within the wider Forum, which typically takes visitors 1.5 to 3 hours to walk through properly.
When to go
The Forum gets busy by mid-morning, especially in spring and summer, and there's little shade across the site. Arriving close to opening time or visiting in the late afternoon tends to mean smaller crowds and cooler conditions. Since the arch stands in an open, exposed area, a hat and water are worth carrying in warmer months.
What to combine it with
The arch is essentially part of a single visit to the Roman Forum, and the Temple of Saturn and Temple of Vesta are both just a couple of minutes' walk away within the same site. The Capitoline Museums are about 0.2km off, up on the Capitoline Hill, and make a natural next stop if you want to continue indoors after the ruins.
Sources: open data from Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap · Updated August 5, 2026 · Edited by the World by City editors
