CHESMAYNE

Archbishop

Broken lopsided stone archway

01 Vaunt Courier: a BS of the highest rank - high BS. VC.

02 Archbishopric: the office of an archbishop.

03 Archiepiscopal: of or pertaining to an archbishop or his/her office.

04 -archy: word element meaning ‘rule’, ‘government’ as in ‘monarchy’ etc, ie, the Archbishop of Cantebury etc. Those who inherit a responsibility to be a guardian of a faith and the repository of valued traditions. A BS appointed to have jurisdiction over other BSs.

05 Dunstan: Abbot of Glastonbury and Archbishop of Canterbury who codified the English Coronation Rite and wrote a treatise entitled ‘The Philosopher’s Stone.’

06 The Hebrew word translated circle (khug) means arch, sphere or globe.

Located at the highest point of the Via Sacra which leads to the Roman Forum, this triumphal arch, with only one passageway, commemorates Titus’ conquest of Judea which ended the Jewish Wars (66-70). Engaged fluted columns frame the passageway, the spandrels depict Victories in relief, the attic contains an inscription (see below) and the internal faces of the passageway depict in relief triumphal processions (see below). The arch was erected posthumously, after Titus had already become a “god”.

Situated at the highest point of the Sacra Via, the Arch of Titus (Arcus Titi) was erected by Domitian sometime after the death of Titus in AD 81. It commemorates his brother’s capture of Jerusalem in AD 70. While on campaign in Judea, Titus fell in love with Berenice, the daughter of Herod Agrippa. When she and her brother Agrippa II visited Rome circa AD 75, Titus lived openly with her. In AD 79, however, at the death of his father Vespasian, Titus succeeded to the throne and was obliged to give Berenice up, “which,” says Suetonius, “was painful for both of them”. Berenice and Agrippa had tried to dissuade the Jews from rebelling, and it is before them that Paul pleaded his defense of Christianity in Acts 25-26. After the triumph, the treasures were placed in the Temple of Peace in the Forum of Vespasian. In a later era, it was the place of a yearly oath of loyalty, forced by the Pope on the Jews of the Roman Ghetto. The ghetto of Rome was the last remaining ghetto in Western Europe until its later reintroduction by Nazi Germany.

“Senatus Populusque Romanus Divo Tito Divi Vespasiani Filio Vespasiano Augusto”.

The Roman Senate and People to Deified Titus, Vespasian Augustus, son of Deified Vespasian.

Archbishop

Historic remarks

The exact origins of this piece are unknown (if you have more information, please let us know). The earliest reference I have to it is in T.R. Dawson’s Five Classics of Fairy Chess in which appears archbishop problems by C.M. Fox published in 1932. Although it has some popularity as a problem piece, I know of no games that use it.

Movement rules

The archbishop moves like a normal chess bishop, but it has the additional power of making a single reflection off the side of the board.

Movement diagram

In the diagram below, the archbishop, which is traditionally symbolized by an upside-down bishop, can move to all the squares marked with a black circle.

Archbishop Helpmate Problem

In the problem below, it is Black to play and help White mate in 2. This problem is taken from part 2 of T.R Dawson’s excellent book Five Classics of Fairy Chess. The problem is by C.M. Fox. In addition, Mr. Fox has 8 more problems that are variations on this one, in which the White king and two White archbishops start on the same squares, but in each one the mating archbishop ends on a different square.

Written by Benjamin C Good.

The scene depicts the triumphal procession with the booty from the temple at Jerusalem - the sacred Menorah, the Table of the Shewbread shown at an angle, and the silver trumpets which called the Jews to Rosh Hashanah. The bearers of the booty wear laurel crowns and those carrying the candlestick have pillows on their shoulders. Placards in the background explain the spoils or the victories Titus won. These few figures, standing for hundreds in the actual procession, move toward the carved arch at the right, complete with quadriga at the top. See also the new detail.

This scene depicts the actual triumphal procession with the toga-clad Titus in the chariot, but with the addition of allegorical figures - the winged Victory riding in the chariot with Titus who places a wreathe on his head, the goddess leading the horses (identified by some scholars as Roma, others as Valor [Virtus]), and the semi-nude Genius of the People. Because the reliefs were deeply carved, some of the forward heads have broken off.

Pictures & text credit: Mary Ann Sullivan - sullivanm@bluffton.edu

The Arch of Titus (Arcus Titi) is a triumphal arch that commemorates the victory of the emperors Vespasian and Titus in Judea in 70 CE, which lead to the conquest of Jerusalem and the destruction of the Jewish temple there, and the triumphal procession the two held in Rome in 71 CE. It is situated at the E. entrance to the Forum Romanum, on the Via Sacra, south of the Temple of Amor and Roma, close to the Colosseum.

Arch of Titus (Arcus Titi). View from the west. Temple of Castor and Pollux on the right.