 Some triumphal arches were surmounted by a statue or a "currus triumphalis", a group of statues depicting the emperor or general in a quadriga.Inscriptions on Roman triumphal arches were works of art in themselves, with very finely cut, sometimes gilded letters.The form of each letter and the spacing between them was carefully designed for maximum clarity and simplicity, without any decorative flourishes, emphasizing the Roman taste for restraint and order.