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The Arch of Titus in Rome is redolent with Jewish history. It is best known for the relief sculpture on one of its inner walls that portrays sacred objects looted from the Temple in Jerusalem—most prominently, a huge menorah. This class will consider motivations for building triumphal arches, the rituals they embody, and the Arch of Titus in detail: why it was constructed, the meaning its sculptural decorations and inscriptions were intended to convey, how that message impacted Rome’s Jewish community, and how the message has been dramatically transformed over the centuries from a symbol of defeat to a symbol of survival and victory.