Consider the echoes of Roman ambition embodied in the Colonne Trajane. This isn’t just a column. It’s a story etched in stone.
The Colonne Trajane stands as a testament to Emperor Trajan’s victories in the Dacian Wars. Imagine it transported here from Rome. It almost happened.
Napoleon’s military leader once eyed this masterpiece. General Pommereul planned to dismantle it and ship it to Paris. Thankfully exorbitant transport costs and papal obstacles halted the audacious scheme. Instead Napoleon built the Vendôme Column. It was an imitation erected in 1810 after the Battle of Austerlitz.
This Colonne Trajane that could have been is a monument to military might. Trajan expanded the Roman Empire to its greatest extent. He celebrated his triumphs with this very type of column.
The frieze is incredibly detailed. Scholars believe it was initially painted. Sculptors meticulously created natural backgrounds. They used mixed perspectives to maximize detail. The unifying theme? Roman military campaigns in Dacia.
The Colonne Trajane is more than just a victory monument. It’s a historical record. The real column is made from fine-grained Luna marble. It stands about 38.4 meters high. The shaft comprises 19 marble drums. A spiral staircase of 185 steps leads to a viewing platform. The helical sculptural frieze measures 190 meters long. It wraps around the column 23 times. It contains 2662 figures in 155 scenes. Trajan himself appears 58 times.
Imagine walking into Trajan’s Forum in Rome. You’d pass under a triumphal arch. It was surmounted by six horses pulling a chariot. The emperor was crowned by Victory. A gilded equestrian sculpture of Trajan stood in the center. Large sculptures of captured Dacian soldiers lined the forum.
The conquest of Dacia funded this extravagance. Booty taken from Dacia was displayed within the forum. Though most of the forum is gone the Colonne Trajane still stands proudly in Rome.
The column has three parts a base a shaft and a capital. Trajan’s ashes were once inside the base of the real column. The base is covered with carvings. Garlands hang from the corners with eagles perched. Figures of victory known as Nikes and representations of arms and armor are also visible.
The inscription on the base is famous. Not for what it says but for the quality of lettering. It’s the model for the Trajan typeface. The relief sculpture winds around the column. It tells stories of the Dacian campaigns. The first war begins at the bottom. It depicts the army marching constructing garrisons and building bridges.
Roughly 21 percent of the sculpture depicts battle scenes. The column reminds us of Roman engineering prowess. Trajan’s architect Apollodorus of Damascus is credited with the forum’s architecture. He likely designed the column too. The area was once a saddle between two hills. Apollodorus removed an enormous amount of earth.
The Colonne Trajane is not a literal document. It shows moments of the campaigns. It also includes stock scenes. The emperor addresses his troops. He makes sacrifices. He leads his troops.
Originally the column was painted with red yellow blue and black. Viewing platforms surrounded it. There was a Greek library and a Latin library flanking it.
Some scenes are moving. We see wounded Roman soldiers being attended to. At the top Decebalus the Dacian general commits suicide.
Imagine the Roman army crossing the Danube River. Soldiers construct a pontoon bridge. They cross in an orderly fashion. Each carries supplies or military standards. The relief is naturalistic in some ways. Figures move and interact naturally. However there are shifts in scale. Architecture is too small. Trajan appears larger than his soldiers.
Trajan’s ashes were buried inside. A staircase leads to the top. The hard work of the army ensured victory. Originally Trajan stood at the very top.
The Romans who saw this wouldn’t have had access to the military victories. This brought the story back to the capital. Today the Colonne Trajane in Rome stands framed by Baroque churches. It embodies pagan and Christian Rome. It stands as a lasting symbol of Roman power and artistic achievement. Its potential relocation to Paris is a fascinating footnote in its rich history.