Trajan's Column

No one really knows for sure why Trajan's Column was built. The reason, though, might be a figurative representation of the "comments” of the Emperor. His comments were prose narratives describing the wars against the Dacians in the 2nd century. The form of the columns and its measurements reflect the shape of the old papyrus scroll and its height reflects that of the mountain destroyed in its creation.

From the library terraces of Trajan's Forum, it was once possible to see every painted relief (no longer present) of the column. It also must have served as the emperor's tomb since his ashes are found in a golden urn at the column's base. The reliefs narrate battles and victories and measure almost two hundred meters long in total, an impressive figure in and of itself. A statue of Trajan once stood atop this column but it was substituted for one of St. Peter in the 16th century.

Amongst the ruins of the Forum of Trajan's you'll find the Trajan's Column. It has intricate reliefs depicting the emperor's victory over the Dacians (modern Romania). His ashes were buried under the gold statue that it was crowning (it was lost in the Middle Ages and Pope Sixtus V replaced it with another from Saint Peter). The Museum of Roman Culture shows molds of the column that allow you to appreciate the details.