9.7: Column of Trajan

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Valentina Follo (of Context Travel), Dr. Beth Harris, and Dr. Steven Zucker provide a description, historical perspective, and analysis of the Column of Trajan.

The inscription on the base is the source of the typeface Trajan and reads (with abbreviations spelled out):

SENATUS POPULUSQUE ROMANUS
IMPERATORI CAESARI DIVI NERVAE FILIO NERVAE
TRAIANO AUGUSTO GERMANICO DACICO PONTIFICI
MAXIMO TRIBUNICIA POTESTATE XVII IMPERATORI VI CONSULI VI PATRI PATRIAE
AD DECLARANDUM QUANTAE ALTITUDINIS
MONS ET LOCUS TAN[TIS OPER]IBUS SIT EGESTUS

The Senate and the People of Rome
To Emperor Caesar Nerva Trajan Augustus, son of the divine Nerva
Conqueror of Germany and Dacia, high priest, with the office of the tribune 17 times
Proclaimed Imperator 6 times, elected consul 6 times, father of the Empire
Here shows the height which this hill once stood
Now removed for such great works as these

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The link to this video is provided at the bottom of this page.

Column of Trajan, Carrara marble, completed 113 CE, Rome Dedicated to Emperor Trajan (Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus b. 53, d. 117 CE) in honor of his victory over Dacia (now Romania) 101–02 and 105–06 CE.

Contributors and Attributions

Column of Trajan. Authored by: Valentina Follo, Dr. Beth Harris, and Dr. Steven Zucker. Provided by: Khan Academy. Located at: www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ancient-art-civilizations/roman/early-empire/v/column-of-trajan-completed-113-c-e. License: CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike