Detail of the Golden Menorah in the Arch of Titus, located on the Via Sacra, just to the south-east of the Roman Forum in Rome, Italy, which was built to commemorate Titus's victory in Judea, depicts a Roman victory procession with soldiers carrying spoils from the Temple, including the Menorah, which were used to fund the construction of the Colosseum, on Wednesday, October 23, 2013. It was constructed c. 82 AD by the Roman Emperor Domitian shortly after the death of his older brother Titus to commemorate Titus' victories, including the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The Arch is said to have provided the general model for many of the triumphal arches erected since the 16th century‚??perhaps most famously it is the inspiration for the 1806 Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France, completed in 1836. This, the south panel, depicts the spoils of war looted from the Temple in Jerusalem after its destruction by the Romans. The Golden Menorah is the main focus and is carved in deep relief. Other sacred objects being carried in the triumphal procession are the Gold Trumpets and the Table of Shew bread. These spoils were likely originally colored gold, with the background in blue. In 2012 the Arch of Titus Digital Restoration Project discovered remains of yellow ochre paint on the menorah relief. RON SACHS/CNP/PI
