A poignant triumphal arch in memory of the fallen in Tarragona…

Two thousand years ago, victorious leaders in Tarraco didn't just choose grand arches to celebrate their triumphant marches. They built their arches as reminders of defiance, rivals, and even tragedy. One of these arches, the Arc de Berà, stands tall as a monumental symbol of the fallen today, with a unique history commemorating defeat rather than victory.

The Triumphal Arch of Berà, officially named as such, was built during the reign of Augustus around 13 BC in Tarragona, Spain. This archaeological ensemble, including this triumphal arch, was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites list in 2000. It stands on the site of what was once the Via Augusta, now the N-340 road. Unlike many other triumphal arches, the Arc de Berà was built not to honor Augustus or his genius, but to commemorate the fallen. The inscription on its entablature acts as a poetic reference to the passage of time: ‘Ex testamento L(uci) Licini L(uci) f(ilii) Serg (ia tribu) Surae consa[.]’, which can be read as 'From the will of Lucius Licinius, son of Sergius, of the tribe of the Suri, consul'.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons

A poignant triumphal arch in memory of the fallen in Tarragona, Spain

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