Dion Cassius records (liv. 8) that Augustus built an arch in
commemoration of the Parthian treaty near the Temple-Tomb of Cæsar.
This is borne out by Maii, an interpreter of Virgil ("Æn." viii. 606),
who says the Arch of Augustus was near to the temple of the deified
Julius. The "Mirabilia" mentions it, and gives the same site: "Templum
Minervæ cum arcu conjunctum est ei, nunc autem vocatur Sanctus
Laurentius de Mirandi;" that is, the Temple of Antoninus Pius and
Faustina, now the Church of San Lorenzo in Miranda. Accordingly, it
was on the right of the Temple of Cæsar. Between it and the Temple of
Antoninus the following inscription on marble was found in 1540-46:--
SENATVS . POPVLVSQVE . ROMANVS
IMP . CAESARI . DIVI . IVLI . F . COS . QVINCT
COS . DESIGN . SEX . IMP . SEPT
REPVBLICA CONSERVATA.
(Gruter, ccxxvi. 5.)
It is doubtful whether this refers to the Arch of Augustus or to the
Temple of Cæsar, both having been built by Augustus. A coin of
Augustus represents this arch, with the legend, CIVIB . ET . SIGN .
MILIT . A . PART . RECVP. In the early part of 1884, on the Via Sacra,
near the Temple of Antoninus, some thirty travertine _voussoirs_--which
formed part of an arch, the diameter of which was 12 feet 17
inches--were brought to light. So far, the excavations do not show
where this arch stood; but when the road between the Temples of Cæsar
and Antoninus is cut away, we may hope to find the site.