Answer the following question in 3-4 complete sentences. Describe the Column of Trajan (above), including how it serves to both document and commemorate history.

Answer:

The Column of Trajan is a tall marble monument in Rome decorated with a continuous spiral relief showing scenes from Emperor Trajan’s wars against the Dacians. The detailed carvings document Roman soldiers, battles, engineering, and the defeat of Dacia. At the same time, its great height and placement in Trajan’s Forum commemorate Trajan’s military victories and glorify his leadership. A statue of Trajan originally stood at the top, emphasizing the monument’s connection to the emperor.