Rome’s Arch of Constantine Struck by Lightning

News September 4, 2024

Damaged section of the Arch of Constantine
Colosseum Archaeological Park
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ROME, ITALY—According to a Reuters report, Rome’s triumphal Arch of Constantine was struck by lightning during a storm that also felled trees and flooded streets, as more than two inches of rain fell in less than an hour. Staff from the nearby Colosseum Archaeological Park retrieved blocks of stone and rubble found on the ground around the monument after the lightning strike. The 82-foot-tall arch was constructed to celebrate the victory of Constantine the Great over Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in A.D. 312. For more on the arch, go to "A Monumental Imperial Biography."

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