Back Columna de Marcu Aureliu AST Калона Марка Аўрэлія Byelorussian Колона на Марк Аврелий Bulgarian Columna de Marc Aureli Catalan Sloup Marka Aurelia Czech Marcus Aurelius-søjlen Danish Mark-Aurel-Säule German Στήλη του Μάρκου Αυρηλίου Greek Columna de Marco Aurelio Spanish Marko Aurelioren zutabea Basque
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.jpg) The Column of Marcus Aurelius in Piazza Colonna | |
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The Column of Marcus Aurelius (Latin: Columna Centenaria Divorum Marci et Faustinae, Italian: Colonna di Marco Aurelio) is a Roman victory column in Piazza Colonna, Rome, Italy. It is a Doric column featuring a spiral relief: it was built in honour of Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius and modeled on Trajan's Column. The Imperial Monument is dedicated to the former emperor of Rome and his war effort in the Barbarian Wars during his reign as Caesar of Rome from 161-180 AD. Standing as a testament to Aurelius' military achievements, it offers a visual narrative of his campaigns against Germanic tribes along the Danube River. Although there aren’t many direct sources from the time of the reign of Marcus Aurelius, many of the emperor's deeds are depicted among the scenes of the monument itself. Based on common understanding of Roman views on public service, the status of Marcus Aurelius was such that this monument was erected in dedication to his memory and designed with grandeur to represent his accomplishments. The monument contains a frieze depicting the Northern Germanic campaigns of Marcus Aurelius. The Romans called these wars North of the Danube, Bellum Germanicum or bellum Marcomannicum. Though the monument's purpose was likely meant to commemorate his military achievement, it is also considered a funerary monument, since the planning and erection of the monument happened around the same time as his death. The construction of the column is said to have begun at either the end of the wars in 176AD and at the time of his death in 180AD; ultimately the construction of the monument was completed in 193AD.