La parabola di Germanico Giulio Cesare nella documentazione archeologica: il caso dell’arco della colonia di Arausio

Abstract

This essay reviews the archaeological documentation that interests the figure of Germanicus Julius Caesar: the great roman general who died on october 10th of 19 A.D., in the city of Antiochia of Syria. Its focus is on the possibility of using the archaeological and historical record as valid tools for the analysis of the buildings and the monetary policy of the Emperor Tiberius, in order to detect in it an attempt to obscure (if not erase) the memory of Germanicus.
Among the archaeological material analysed, the paper points out the importance of honorary arch of Orange, as monument dedicated to Germanicus, on the basis of its iconography and dedication’s inscription. These reveal how the monument represents the events of the germanic campaign (14-16 A.D.) with some new aspects that would contribue to attribute the arch, with certainty, as built in honor of Germanicus by the veterans that fought under his command.

Keywords: Germanicus Julius Caesar, Arch of Orange, Tiberius, Germanic campaign