The Column of Trajan is a Roman monument that was built in Rome between 106 and 113 AD. It stands 125 feet tall with the pedestal, made of high-quality Luna marble, and was built in the Roman Doric order. The column was built to commemorate Emperor Trajan’s victory over Dacia, known today as Romania. The frieze on the column portrays sailors, statesmen, soldiers, and priests in two wars against the Dacians. The artwork is notable for its size, standing for over 1,900 years, and for its historical thematic content, which provides insight into Roman military and social values before the first century.
The column is constructed from 19 drums of Italian white marble and is crowned with a two-block pedestal. The winding strip of relief sculpture on the column would measure 600 feet if unfurled. Trajan was one of Rome’s most successful emperors, expanding the empire to its farthest boundaries during his reign, from AD 98 until 117. The column is regarded as a masterpiece of Roman art, providing an exemplar of both military propaganda and artistic expression. The inscription on the base was the source of the typeface Trajan, a font still in use today.
In summary, the Column of Trajan is a monumental Roman artwork erected in Rome in AD 113. It was built in honor of Emperor Trajan’s successful military campaign against the Dacians, and its frieze portrays a range of figures involved in the conflict. The artwork is notable for its size and thematic content, showcasing key social elements of the Roman empire before AD 113. The column was built from Luna marble in the Roman Doric order, consisting of 19 drums and crowned with a two-block pedestal. Its winding relief sculpture measures 600 feet unfurled, and the column has stood proud for over 1,900 years, a testament to Roman artistic achievement and propaganda.
