In Roman architecture, a form of monument used to commemorate victories, the achievements of emperors, or the restoration of peace. The archway is usually freestanding and decorative, the earliest occurring in the 2nd century BC, and found in all provinces. Consisting of one to three arches, sometimes with intersection, they are commonly decorated with relief panels and attached sculptures. They often spanned either a street or a roadway, preferably one used for triumphal processions. Most of the triumphal arches were built during the empire period (27 BC-476 AD).