Cancelleria Reliefs

The reliefs originally depicted events from the life and reign of Domitian, but were partially recarved following the accession of emperor Nerva.

Frieze A survived relatively intact, but is missing a part of the left end, making it difficult to assess the exact length of the original work.

Brian Jones suggests two possible locations: the Templum Divorum, which was a shrine dedicated to the military triumphs of Vespasian and Titus,[2] or one of multiple arches which were said to have been erected under Domitian, but were torn down following his death.

[6] Contemporary authors such as Suetonius later alleged that Domitian's military endeavours were largely a failure, motivated by a quest for personal glory rather than necessity.

[7] The scene depicted on Frieze A seems to counter such accusations by presenting Domitian as a reluctant general, spurred on by the gods Mars, Minerva and Roma, who are pictured on the far left, to defend his home country.

Following his assassination on September 18, 96 however, the Senate passed damnatio memoriae on Domitian's memory—his name was erased from all public records and his statues and arches were destroyed.

Rather than heading back to Rome however, he entrusted the war against Vitellius to his political ally Gaius Licinius Mucianus, while Vespasian himself gathered support in the province of Egypt.

According to both Tacitus and Suetonius, Domitian's conduct during Mucianus' interim government was less than satisfactory; they allege he was over-zealous in distributing political offices, and eager to partake in unwarranted military campaigns.