
PRE-20TH-CENTURY INFLUENCESI
ROMAN MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS
ARCH OF TITUS
Rome, Italy
designer unknown
81
One of the most important developments of this
time period was Roman inscriptional lettering
known as capitalis monumentalis. These classic
letterforms, based on early Etruscan and Greek
alphabets and the basis for modern capital
letterforms, were refined by the Romans so that
they would retain their visual characteristics
when engraved or cut in stone. Serifs originated
with the carving of inscriptions into stone by Ro-
man masons who added small hooks to the tips
of letters to prevent their chisel from slipping.
These carved inscriptions would ...