Ancient Egyptian obelisks in Ancient RomeIn the year 30 BC Egpyt was annexed into what was about to

Ancient Egyptian obelisks in Ancient RomeIn the year 30 BC Egpyt was annexed into what was about to become the Roman Empire after Octavian had defeat Marc Antony and deposed the Ptolmaic Egyptian Queen Cleopatra.  Octavian, who would soon take the name Augustus, took a liking to the ancient monuments of Egypt, some of which existed thousands of years before the founding of Rome.  In 10 BC Augustus ordered two Egyptian obelisks to be removed, shipped across the mediterranean, and re-erected in Rome.  Augustus’ fascination with obelisks kicked off a ancient Roman fad as emperors and wealthy Roman patricians likewise sought to have their own Egyptian obelisks, paying hefty sums to remove obelisks from Egypt and have them re-erected in either Rome, other cities in Italy, or Constantinople.  Those who couldn’t pilfer a genuine obelisk commissioned the construction of copies or look-a-likes.  Today in Rome stands 7 ancient Egyptian obelisks and five Roman made obelisks.  The most popularly known obelisk stands in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, originally brought from Alexandria by order of Caligula.  Another noteworthy obelisk is the Lateran Obelisk, which dates to the 2nd millennium BC and was removed from the Temple of Karnak. Weighing almost 500 tons it is the largest standing Egyptian obelisk. The obelisk was removed by Emperor Constantius II in 357 AD along with a second obelisk which was erected in the Hippodrome in Constantinople and later named the Obelisk of Theodosius. Today the Lateran Obelisk stands near the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran.  The Lateran Obelisk (Rome) and the Obelisk of Theodosius (Istanbul)After the fall of the Western Roman Empire the obelisks were forgotten and became part of the ancient ruins of the city.  The late Medieval period and Rennaisance saw a renewed interest in the classical art and architecture, resulting in many obelisks being excavated, restored, and re-erected by wealthy Italian clergymen and patrons.In 1922 Benito Mussolini was appointed Prime Minister of Italy. Mussolini would quickly consolidate power and transform his position into a dictatorship, transforming Italy into an authoritarian state.  Mussolini saw Italy as a successor to ancient Rome and called for no less than the restoration of the Roman Empire. Many of the symbols of ancient Rome were revived, such as the fasces, an axe bundled with sticks which symbolized the Roman state. This is where the word “fascism” originates.The FascesOne Roman tradition Mussolini revived was the pilfering of ancient Obelisks from conquered lands. In 1935 Italy invaded Ethiopia.  With superior military technology the Italian Army was able to overrun and occupy Ethiopia. In the city of Axum the Italian Army discovered the ancient Obelisk of Axum, built by the Axumite Kingdom in the 4th century. By order of Mussolini the Obelisk was cut into five pieces and re-erected in Rome.Of course Mussolini’s vision of a new Roman Empire never came into fruition as Italy performed poorly in World War II and would surrender to the Allies. In 1947 Italy agreed to return the obelisk, however repatriation wouldn’t occur until 2005.Obelisk of AxumThe Romans were not the only people in history to steal ancient Egyptian obelisks.  During the French and later British occupation of Egypt in the 19th century many obelisks were pilfered and shipped overseas, others were given away as diplomatic gifts by local rulers.  Ancient Egyptian obelisks can be found in France, England, New York City, and believe it or not, Poland.  Today there are more ancient Egyptian obelisks in other countries than there are in Egypt.Cleopatras Needle, an obelisk dating to 1475 BC, currently standing in Central Park, New York City -- source link

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