The marble column was inaugurated by Trajan in AD 113. It
celebrates his two campaigns in Dacia (now Romania) in AD 101-2
and AD 105-6. Carved scenes from these campaigns spiral up the
column, beginning with the Romans preparing for war and ending
with the Dacians being ousted from their homeland. These scenes
are considered to be the masterpiece of Roman sculptural art,
still almost intact, and carefully restored in 1980-88. The
carving was carried out in less than four years by an unknown
Roman master and his workshop. The ashes of Trajan and his wife
Plotina were placed in a golden urn in the column's base. The
first 40 scenes (roughly), are depicted here. The Roman Numerals
refer to the scenes as identified in the publication 'Trajan's
Column' by Lepper & Frere. Archivision Inc. (all images
copyright Scott Gilchrist / Archivision.com)