This is one of Leptis' signature monuments and the grandest possible introduction to the architectural excesses of the city. It was built in AD 203 to commemorate the emperor and his family, and to mark his visit to his native city. The core of the structure was built of limestone, unusual for the time, and covered with a marble exterior. What you see today has been faithfully reconstructed by archaeologists to stunning effect. It remains a work in progress.
The friezes attached to the arch are, in fact, replicas with the originals residing in Gallery 11 of the Jamahiriya Museum in Tripoli. Other original elements of the arch are to be found in Room 4 of the Leptis Museum.
