Start with our video overview:
Trajan’s Column is a monumental structure located in the Forum of Trajan, in the heart of Rome along the Via dei Fori Imperiali. Commissioned by Emperor Trajan, it was built to celebrate his military victories in the Dacian Wars, which took place in two major campaigns: 101–102 CE and 105–106 CE in Dacia (modern-day Romania). The lower section of the column depicts the first campaign, while the upper section illustrates the second.
The column was part of a larger complex in Trajan’s Forum and was likely designed by the architect Apollodorus of Damascus. Completed in 113 CE, it stands in a rectangular courtyard northeast of the Basilica Ulpia. The forum also featured two libraries, one for Latin texts and one for Greek, whose upper levels provided an ideal viewing platform to observe the detailed carvings spiraling around the column.
Architecture and Design
Trajan’s Column stands approximately 38 meters (125 feet) tall. It is constructed from 19 massive blocks of Carrara marble, each about 1.5 meters tall and 3.5 meters in diameter. These marble pieces were hollowed out and carved to form a spiral staircase leading to a viewing platform at the top, a unique design element at the time. To assemble the column, the Romans used wooden towers and cranes to lift the marble blocks into place.
The entire structure rests on a 5.29-meter-high base that once served as a tomb. In antiquity, this chamber housed a golden urn containing the ashes of Emperor Trajan and his wife, Plotina. An inscription at the base dedicates the column to Trajan: The Senate and People of Rome [dedicate this] to the emperor Caesar, son of the divine Nerva, Nerva Trajan, Augustus, Germanicus, Dacicus, Pontifex Maximus, holding tribunician power for the 17th time, acclaimed imperator 6 times, consul 6 times, father of the fatherland, to demonstrate to what great height the hill and place was removed for such great works.
Artistic Achievement
Trajan’s Column is an excellent example of Roman craftmanship and engineering. It is best known for its spiral frieze, which wraps around the shaft 23 times. If fully unwound, the frieze would stretch over 200 meters in length. It contains 155 scenes and more than 2,600 intricately carved figures. Emperor Trajan appears 58 times, depicted commanding his army, addressing troops, and overseeing various activities.
The reliefs portray not just battles but also the everyday operations of the Roman military. Scenes include the construction of roads, bridges, and fortifications, as well as interaction with foreign peoples. They offer valuable insight into Roman engineering, diplomacy, and military operations.
Symbolism and Legacy
Ancient coins suggest that the column was originally topped with an eagle. This was soon replaced by a colossal bronze statue of Trajan, which was lost during the medieval period. In 1587, Pope Sixtus V topped the column with a bronze statue of Saint Peter, an example of how ancient Roman monuments were often repurposed for Christian use.
Trajan’s Column influenced the design of many later monuments, such as the Column of Marcus Aurelius in Rome, and the Columns of Theodosius and Arcadius in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul).
Over the centuries, efforts have been made to preserve both the structure and its intricate carvings. Castings and detailed studies have helped ensure that its artistic value continues to be appreciated, even as the original marble weathers with time.
Bibliography
- Curry, Andrew. (2012). “A War Diary Soars Over Rome.” National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/trajan-column/article.html
- Davies, Penelope. (1997). “The Politics of Perpetuation: Trajan’s Column and the Art of Commemoration.” American Journal of Archaeology, 101(1), 41–65. https://www.jstor.org/stable/506249
- Hendrix, David. (2016). “Column of Trajan.” The Byzantine Legacy. https://www.thebyzantinelegacy.com/trajan-column
- Lancaster, L. (1999). “Building Trajan’s Column.” American Journal of Archaeology, 103(3), 419–439. https://www.jstor.org/stable/506969
- Richmond, I. A. (1935). “Trajan’s Army on Trajan’s Column.” Papers of the British School at Rome, 13, 1–40. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40310440
This content is brought to you by The American Institute for Roman Culture, a 501(C)3 US Non-Profit Organization.
Please support our mission to aid learning and understanding of ancient Rome through free-to-access content by donating today.
Cite This Page
Cite this page as: Karl Wahlström, The American Institute for Roman Culture, “Column of Trajan,” Ancient Rome Live. Last modified 06/17/2025. https://ancientromelive.org/column-of-trajan
License
Created by The American Institute of Roman Culture, published on 06/17/2025 under the following license: Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.
