Arch of Titus

Opening hours: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM (winter), until 6:00 PM (summer)
Price: €12

One of the relief panels depicts the spoils taken from the Temple: the Temple Menorah and the Table of the Shewbread shown at an angle, both made of solid gold, as well as the silver trumpets used to call the Jewish people to the festivals. The Romans are shown in a triumphal procession wearing laurel crowns, and those carrying the Menorah have cushions on their shoulders. They also carry signs commemorating the victories won by Titus.

The arch was built before Titus arrived in Rome; therefore, the Menorah is depicted with semi-circular branches, unlike the widely accepted opinion of Rashi, who explicitly writes that the branches extended upward diagonally.

The design on the arch is clearly an artistic interpretation and not an exact replica of the Menorah of the Beit Hamikdash. This is evident from missing elements, such as the feet extending from its base, as well as additions like a sea-dragon figure on its shaft, representing Roman idolatry. Therefore, it cannot be relied upon as an accurate source regarding the design of the Menorah, especially where it contradicts traditional Torah authorities.