This blog post was written by all-stars Phin Anibal and Emma Bivona.
Trajan’s column is one of the most impressive pieces of architecture that remains from ancient Rome. This column is unique in its construction, its purpose and its over-all aesthetic. Archeologists still have many questions about the column but answers aren’t required to be able to appreciate the piece’s beauty and complexity.
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| Plan of Trajan's Forum. |
The column was erected in 113 A.D. at North East end of Trajan’s
forum to celebrate his victory over the Dacians. A plaque at its base explains that the height of the column, 100 Roman
feet (approximately 99 feet by modern standards), marks that height of the
earth that was excavated to build the forum. Some archeologists believe that
part of Trajan’s motivations for marking the height of the excavated earth was
to apologize or acknowledge that he had significantly modified the natural
elements of Rome, altering the traditional layout of the city in order to build
his market and forum. Though it is unknown whether it was Trajan’s intention to
be laid to rest in the column, historians believe the purpose of the monument
may have been not just to reflect the height of the destroyed hill, but also to
hold the emperor once he was deceased as his urn was housed below it for some
time. The special chamber where his urn once rested inside the base of the
column is thought to the intended location for the emperor’s ashes.
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| Trajan's Column. |
Though the column is fully
decorated, illustrating an epic tale of Trajan’s virtus through his war
victory, it is difficult to understand how an ancient Roman audience would have
read the column. Though the lowest carved drums are easily interpreted in all
their intricacies, the reliefs higher up the column are nearly impossible to
distinguish. Additionally, in order to interpret the story chronologically, one
would need to walk around the column while moving their gaze upwards. Considering
that it would be just about impossible to see all of the elements of the column
from any given point archeologists wonder how viewers were expected to interpret
the intricate carvings of the column. However, it is possible that there would
have been an account of the column’s story housed in the libraries on either
sided of the column. If viewers were told the story through some other means
the illustrations on the column could be appreciated in segments as the scene
would have been understood without the need to follow every drum sequentially. The
column could also be seen from both libraries, a basilica, and many of the
surrounding areas. Some people believe that the prominent placement of the
column was significant as an early form of propaganda meant to be seen by all
of the roman citizens.
The column is strong representation
of roman values and identity, thus given its content and location it would have
been an effective source of propaganda. The column depicts the story of the
Dacian wars that took place between 101 and 106 A.D. in modern Romania. A
Trophy of Dacian shields, weapons, and armor is carved into the column’s base
representing victory over the enemy. Although the Dacians are clearly the Roman’s
adversaries they are depicted as brave and strong men. Acknowledging the Dacians
as worthy adversaries elevates the impressive nature of Trajan’s victory over
them as well as emphasizes roman values of strength, bravery and sacrifice.
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| Trophies from the Dacian War. |
The column was at its time very
much a piece of modern art, and that must be considered while standing in its
impressive shadow. Previous to Trajan’s display of the monument, most emperors
displayed their military achievements and overall greatness through arches,
often with relief illustrations of winged victories, battle scenes, and trophy
piles. Though Trajan’s column keeps with these themes discussed above in its
own illustration, the presentation was completely novel to antiquity and made
waves in ancient art culture, inspiring a future Marcus Aurelius to build his
own column. Its reliefs are not cut scenes, like in arches, but a spiraling
continuous narrative. This elaborate and unbroken presentation of the story was
only possible through the innovative use of column instead of arch. The column
was topped with a statue of Trajan himself for some time, but that was later
replaced with one of Saint Peter. The change in command, along with the quality
of the Luna marble Trajan used, ended up preserving the artwork. Saint Peter’s
statue was used as a beacon for Christians on pilgrimage to the Vatican, and
thus the column was conserved for religious purposes.
Today, the work is viewed by
travelers and students from all over the world, and books have documented all
of the reliefs from bottom to top to allow modern citizens to “read” the
illustrations from start to finish. Even with all of the modern technology and
advances in architecture, it is an awe-inspiring monument that still inspired
wonder and admiration for the emperor who built it. `
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