The National Museum of Romanian History in Bucharest has a full-scale cast of the Column of Trajan, which depicts Trajan's victory over the Dacians in the 2nd century. The column features scenes of battle as well as more mundane activities such as the building of camps and roads.
The construction scenes are particularly interesting, as they provide details not seen elsewhere. For example, the leather tents used by Roman soldiers, which were supported by ropes and sized for eight men, The column is not shy about depicting the horrors of war, including scenes of torture and decapitation.
It also shows the infrastructure needed to support a military campaign, such as pontoon bridges and lumber yards. The column also includes scenes of Roman cavalry pursuit and Roman auxiliaries from different regions, including Germans and Syrian archers.
The most famous scene on the column is the dedication of the great bridge over the Danube by Apollodorus of Damascus, which was carried on 20 masonry piers and was about 2/3 of a mile long. Overall, the column provides a fascinating insight into the military and civilian aspects of Roman life.
Mysterious machines, dragons, skulls on spikes—there's a lot going on in the details of Trajan's Column in Rome. Watch the video below to find out more!
