Trajan's column : the sculpting and relief content of a Roman propaganda monument
This thesis examines the reliefs of Trajan's Column in Rome (dedicated A. D. 113). It explores sculptural processes and provides a full and critical commentary on the relief content. Section 1 reviews prior work on the column and explains how the present research was conducted whilst taking advantage of scaffolding erected in conjunction with conservation studies. Section 2 examines the role of the column as a propaganda monument, exploring the value of the depictions of Trajan's wars as a source of historical information. This runs parallel to an enquiry into the imperial propaganda functions of the project. These two lines of approach are set against the column's immediate architectural environment which suggests how the reliefs were observed by the public audience. Section 3 is a technical enquiry into the methods by which the column was fabricated, and the sculptures were planned and executed, based on minute observation and computer-assisted recording of the reliefs. Section 4 deals with each of the potential sources of information concerning historical events, warfare, architecture and the Roman army available to, and employed by the sculptors working in Rome. It concludes that input from the war zone
Coulston, Jonathan Charles Nelson
Archaeology
Trajan's column : the sculpting and relief content of a Roman propaganda monument. This thesis examines the reliefs of Trajan's Column in Rome (dedicated A. D. 113). It explores sculptural processes and provides a full and critical commentary on the relief content. Section 1 reviews prior work on the column and explains how the present research was conducted whilst taking advantage of scaffolding erected in conjunction with conservation studies. Section 2 examines the role of the column as a propaganda monument, exploring the value of the depictions of Trajan's wars as a source of historical information. This runs parallel to an enquiry into the imperial propaganda functions of the project. These two lines of approach are set against the column's immediate architectural environment which suggests how the reliefs were observed by the public audience. Section 3 is a technical enquiry into the methods by which the column was fabricated, and the sculptures were planned and executed, based on minute observation and computer-assisted recording of the reliefs. Section 4 deals with each of the potential sources of information concerning historical events, warfare, architecture and the Roman army available to, and employed by the sculptors working in Rome. It concludes that input from the war zone
column relief content roman propaganda monument examines relief column rome dedicate explores sculptural process provide_full critical commentary relief content section review prior work column explain present conduct whilst take_advantage scaffold erect conjunction conservation study section examine_role column propaganda monument explore value depiction war source historical information run parallel enquiry imperial propaganda function project line set column immediate architectural environment suggest reliefs observe public audience section technical enquiry method column sculpture plan execute base minute observation computer_assisted recording relief section_deal potential source_information concern historical_event warfare architecture roman_army available employed sculptor work rome concludes input war zone