The imperial-style structure was sometimes expanded to three arches with the central arch reaching a greater height than the two side arches. The triumphal arch of the empire was articulated by a facade of marble columns; ornamental cornices were added to the piers and attics, and the archway and sides were adorned with relief sculpture depicting the emperor’s victories and achievements. In Rome three triumphal arches have survived: the Arch of Titus (ad 81), with relief sculpture of his triumph over Jerusalem; the Arch of Septimius Severus (203–205), commemorating his victory over the Parthians; and the Arch of Constantine (312), a composite product, decorated with reused material from the times of Domitian, Trajan, and Hadrian.

The arch of Titus was built on Via Sacra with a single arched opening . This triumphal arch erected Domitian in honour of his brother Titus. The corners are articulated with a massive order of engaged columns that stand on a high ashlar basement. Above the main cornice rises a high weighty attic on which is a central tablet bearing the dedicatory inscription. Soffit, the underside of Titus arch, represents concrete event, commemorating capture and sack of Jerusalem. On that relief we can see how emperor’s triumphal procession looks like.  That relief showing spoils from the Sack of Jerusalem (look at the candelabrum and shown arch). On the other relief is shown  Titus as triumphator attended by genii and lictors. On the top, in the middle of coffered vault is a relief of the apotheosis of Titus.

The arch of Septimius Severus is constructed in Rome near the Capitoline Hill.

Septimius Severus was African married with orient princess. This arch commemorate Septimius victory in Parthia. It has three archways.

1. Relief on the top is showing stages of the war between the Romans and the Parthians. There is four huge reliefs that show scenes:

a)       The first panel is divided in three registers- the first showing the preparations for war; the middle battle scenes between Romans and Parthians; and the last the emperor speaking to the troops  and the liberation of a besieged city with the flight of the enemy king;

b)      The second panel shows scenes from the war against the Osroeni- Of the three registers, the lower shows the Roman forces attacking Edessa with war machines, and the surrender of the city; the middle register shows Septimius Severus talking to the troops, and the surrender of king Abgar of the Osroeni to the emperor; lastly, the upper register show the emperor in charge of operations and a war council in a fortified camp;

c)      The third panel shows is divided in two registers. The lower shows the attack on the city of Seleucia on the River Tigris, with the Parthians fleeing on horseback towards the right; and above the Parthians surrendering to the emperor and his entry into the conquered town.

d)      The fourth and last panel shows, in two registers, the siege of Ctesiphon, the capital of the Parthians, using war machines, and the flight of the defeated enemy king; and above finally the emperor addressing the victorious troops in front of the captured city.Below this reliefs are relifs that show Romans capturing barbarians.Originally the arch was topped by a bronze quadriga with the emperor Severus and his sons, Caracalla and Geta accompanied by soldiers. Inscriptions in the attic dedicated the arch to Septimius Severus and both of this sons, but after Septimius’s death, Caracalla killed his brother Geta and had his name removed from the arch. Spandrel space, space between an arch and a rectangular enclosure, is decorated with Victories carrying trophies . On the two lateral arches the spandrels are decorated with fluvial deities (one might be Hercules). In the main arch is coffered vault.

Septimius Severus  constructed one more triumphal arh in Leptis Magna . Leptis achieved its greatest prominence beginning in 193, when a native son, Lucius Septimius Severus, became emperor. This arch has ‘’broken’’ pediment. Attis  is shallow. On the attics is relief that show emperor adventus into town (coming into town) and ingresus of the emperor (entering the town). There is a scene Concordia, the emperor is shown shaking hands with his sons. To the left we can see the empress, Julia Domna, and to the far left is the goddess Roma. In the spandrels there are winged Victories.

The corners of the monument at Lepcis Magna were directed to the four corners of the compass. The groin vault to which the four gates gave access, covered the crossroads of the main streets of the city, the Cardo (which leads from the center out of town) and the Decumanus.

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