Spolia refers to the repurpose, or reuse of structural or decorative components from one piece, to another. Spolia, or “the spoils of war” is seen on a lot of different artworks, or monumental constructions. Like many roman constructions like the coliseum, the arch of Constantine doesn’t go unnoticed for its use of repurposed material. The use of spolia has many advantages that were very meaningful in the time of the Roman Empire. Recycling older material is a lot more cost effective than producing, or extracting new material. Not only is it cost effective, it also reduced labor and construction time. The use of spolia can be of a different meaning as well, like a piece of material can hold historical value, or have some sort of religious meaning.
