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Moins célèbres et moins étudiés que leurs homologues de Narbonnaise (Orange, Glanum), les arcs de Besançon (Germanie Supérieure) et de Reims (Gaule Belgique) n’en sont pas moins de magnifiques exemples de l’urbanisme et de l’art monumental romains. Le but du présent article est d’offrir une étude détaillée et comparée de ces deux édifices, faisant ainsi ressortir la profonde originalité de leur décor figuré, mais aussi la proximité qui existe entre eux. L’attention portée aux détails de ce décor (grâce notamment à une restauration de grande ampleur à Besançon) permet de mieux comprendre le contexte de création de ces arcs et, de ce fait, d’avancer une nouvelle proposition de datation : la fin du règne de Marc Aurèle. Les deux arcs sont ainsi replacés dans le contexte des campagnes germaniques et du triomphe célébré par Marc Aurèle et Commode en 176 ap. J.-C. Ces deux monuments reflètent la pénétration de la culture gréco-romaine, à travers les mythes, dans les provinces occidentales de l’empire romain. Ils attestent également l’importance de la mise en scène du pouvoir impérial dans l’espace de la cité, à travers l’urbanisme.

Two monumental arches are located in Besançon (known as “Porte Noire”) and in Reims (known as “Porte de Mars”), in the former Roman provinces of Germania Superior and Gallia Belgica. They may be less famous than those of Orange or Glanum, in former Gallia Narbonensis, but they nevertheless are very good examples of Roman urbanism and monumental art. This article aims to compare these two monuments in order to show how original they are, especially in terms of iconography, but also how close they are. In Besançon, the “Porte Noire” is a one-passageway monumental arch almost entirely covered by highly detailed carvings. On the exterior of the passageway, these carvings mostly show mythological scenes (Castor and Pollux, Herakles, Ajax, Leda...). On the top of the archway, Zeus is seen fighting against Giants. Inside the archway, the carvings depict the Roman army fighting against Eastern (Parthians) and Western (Germanic) enemies. In Reims, the “Porte de Mars” is a wide three-passageway arch. The carvings placed inside the central passageway also showed the Roman army fighting against enemies, but they are now in a very poor state. This monument is mostly famous for the carvings located on the ceilings of the three passageways. The two lateral scenes show mythological figures (Zeus and Leda ; Romulus and Remus), while the central one depicts a calendar, illustrated with rural motives. A very close study of this unique sculptural ornamentation (thanks to a very recent cleaning operation in the case of Besançon) allows a better understanding of the context of their construction, and, therefore, to propose a new dating : the end of emperor Marcus Aurelius’ reign. Both arches must be placed in the context of the Marcommanic Wars and of the triumphal procession held by the emperor and his son Commodus in Rome in 176 AD. Both arches testify of the penetration of Greco-Roman culture and mythology in the western provinces of the Roman Empire. They also reflect the importance taken by the celebration and the staging of the imperial power in urban and civic space.