Question

Describe the Column of Trajan (above), including how it serves to both document and commemorate history.

Answer 1

The Column of Trajan was built as a war memorial to celebrate Rome's victory, honor Emperor Trajan and document the Roman army's successes. It features a spiral frieze with detailed carvings representing the military campaigns.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Column of Trajan was built in 113 CE as a war memorial to celebrate Rome's victory in the Dacian Wars and honor Emperor Trajan. The column is 35 meters tall and features a spiral frieze depicting the two wars and 2350 detailed figures carved in low relief. The carvings served to document the Roman army and its successes, providing a complete visual record of the military campaigns. The column also served as a way to commemorate history by showcasing Roman construction techniques and impressing the public with the empire's achievements.

Answer 2

This column commemorated the emperor’s reign, including holding his ashes at the base. The carvings found spiraling the column depict the events of the Dacian Wars, which are incredibly accurate according to scholars. The carving and the gilded statue of the emperor on top serve to document the past, as a history book does, and also to commemorate a great time in Roman History.

Step-by-step explanation: