Colonna Traiana
Imperial Rome Vespa Tour: Discover Trajan’s Column and the secrets of ancient Rome with an exciting Vespa tour. A day of history and adventure in the heart of Rome. Explore the city and experience a unique bike tour to discover Trajan’s Column and the wonders of the Forum of Trajan. An immersive experience for those who love art and archaeology! See historic Rome from a new perspective! A comfortable tuk-tuk tour takes you on a stress-free discovery of Trajan’s Column and other Roman wonders.
What you need to know about Trajan's Column
The Trajan Column is one of the most famous monuments of ancient Rome, located in the Forum of Trajan near Piazza Venezia. Inaugurated in 113 AD, this column celebrates Emperor Trajan’s victories against the Dacians (a people who lived in present-day Romania) in the Dacian Wars. The column is about 30 meters high (nearly 40 meters with the plinth) and is entirely covered with a spiral relief that wraps around for about 200 meters, narrating in more than 150 scenes the key episodes of Trajan’s two military campaigns. The column is made of Carrara marble and rests on a large base, inside which is a spiral staircase leading to the top. Originally, the column housed a statue of Trajan, but in 1587 it was replaced with a statue of St. Peter at the behest of Pope Sixtus V. The reliefs on the column are a work of art and a valuable historical source, as they recount in detail battle scenes, moments in the daily lives of Roman soldiers, and interactions between the emperor and his army. The Trajan Column is considered one of the earliest examples of narrative in images in the history of Western art, and is a symbol of power and glory of the Roman Empire. The Trajan Column is not only a work of art and a memorial, but also an extraordinary historical record of the Roman period.
Construction and Architects: The column was probably designed by the architect Apollodorus of Damascus, a loyal collaborator of Emperor Trajan. It was built as part of the construction of the Forum of Trajan, the largest of the imperial forums, to celebrate the conquest of Dacia (101-106 AD). The structure was completed in 113 AD, shortly before Trajan’s death.
The Spiral Narrative: The spiral carved frieze follows a unique and innovative technique for the time, visually narrating the events of the Dacian campaigns through an uninterrupted succession of scenes, as if it were a “comic strip” carved in marble. This technique allows for a continuous narrative that guides the viewer’s eye to the top of the column.
Main Scenes: The scenes show decisive moments of the Dacian campaigns, such as the crossing of the Danube, battles, construction of fortifications and cities, and the interaction between Trajan and his army.
Detailed Iconography: Reliefs show in detail Roman military armaments, uniforms, rituals, and costumes, along with the different ethnicities of the Dacian army.
Propagandistic Function: In addition to celebrating victories, the column had a propagandistic function: to portray Trajan as a just, capable, and invincible emperor whose actions were approved by the gods. In addition, the column served to consolidate the image of Rome as a city capable of dominating and civilizing foreign peoples.
Interior of the Column: Inside the column is a spiral staircase with 185 steps leading to the top. The staircase was originally accessible only to imperial attendants. At the top, visitors could enjoy a splendid view of the Forum of Trajan and the surrounding monuments.
Influence in Art History: The Trajan Column has had a significant impact on art history, serving as a model for other similar monuments throughout the Roman Empire, such as the Column of Marcus Aurelius in the Campus Martius. It has also inspired artists and historians for centuries, being one of the earliest examples of historical narrative through sculpture.
Archaeological Significance: Over time, the column has provided historians with crucial information about the organization of the Roman army, techniques of warfare, and relations between Rome and the peoples of Eastern Europe. Having remained almost intact, it is now one of the best-preserved monuments of the imperial period.
Curiosities
An Ancient Marble Comic: The column is considered one of the earliest examples of narrative comics in history because it uses sculpted images to tell a continuous story, similar to modern comic strips. This made visual storytelling accessible even to those who could not read.
The Reliefs Were Painted: At the time of construction, the column reliefs were probably painted in bright colors to make the scenes more legible and vivid from a distance. Over time, the coloring was lost, leaving the column in its natural marble appearance.
The Use of Mirrors: In order to see the details carved in reliefs, the ancient Romans are thought to have used mirrors placed at various points around the column. This allowed them to appreciate each carved scene, including details in the higher sections.
A Multilingual Work of Art:
Although the column’s main audience was Roman, many of the soldiers and people involved in the Dacian wars were not Italophones. The visual narrative was therefore **universal** and could be understood even by non-Romans, representing Rome’s military might and greatness in a universal language.
Containing Trajan’s Ashes: The base of the column serves as the tomb for Trajan. After his death in 117 AD, his ashes were placed in a golden urn, which was then placed inside the column, making it one of the few funerary monuments for an emperor in Rome.
Extraordinary Survival: During the Middle Ages, many Roman structures were dismantled to recover marble and other building materials. However, Trajan’s Column was spared due to its symbolic value and the fact that Pope Gregory the Great declared that ancient monuments were to be respected as signs of Roman greatness.
The Addition of St. Peter: In 1587, Pope Sixtus V had a statue of St. Peter added to the top of the column, replacing the original statue of Trajan. This addition emphasized the Christian appropriation of pagan monuments as symbols of the new faith.
Hidden Spiral Staircase: Inside the column is a 185-step spiral staircase leading to the top. This internal staircase was accessible only to authorized officials, and its presence contributed to the column’s extraordinary structural stability.
Unique Reliefs: Each scene carved on the column is unique and detailed-there are over 2,500 carved human figures. This complexity makes the column a detailed historical document, enabling modern scholars to better understand Roman military equipment and techniques of the time.
Models and Copies Around the World: The success and fame of the Trajan Column has inspired numerous copies and models around the world. Perhaps the most famous is the one preserved at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, which reproduces the reliefs of the column in plaster and allows for closer admiration.
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