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Colonna di Marco Aurelio

Historic site · Colonna, Italy

The ancient honorific column standing at the centre of Piazza Colonna, the square that gives the rione its name. Roma Capitale dates the column to between 180, the year of Marcus Aurelius's death, and 193, and records that the work was completed under Commodus, his son and successor. It was inspired by the column of Trajan, rises 100 Roman feet, and stood on a base of 12 metres whose honorific inscription is lost.

History

Roma Capitale records that the inscription on the base wrongly attributes the column to Antoninus Pius, which is why it has also long been known as the Colonna Antonina. The shaft is wrapped in Carrara white marble reliefs narrating the campaigns against the Germani of 172 and 173 and against the Sarmatians of 174 and 175, the two separated by a figure of Victory, the narrative beginning with the crossing of the Danube on a bridge of boats. Inside, a spiral staircase is lit by slit windows. The reliefs on the base were lost in the restoration of 1589 commissioned by Sixtus V, when a bronze statue of St Paul was placed at the summit.

Visit

Piazza Colonna, Roma RM

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