What To Know Of The Four Triumphal Columns Of Rome (& Where To Find Them)

Rome is full of ruins, and those who know where to look can see four triumphal columns (or what's left of them) dedicated to emperors.

Rome was a militarized society, and they were not shy to boast about their many victories. The Romans held great victory parades and built many large triumphant arches (arches that inspired the famous Arc de Triomphe in Paris). They also built triumphal columns. Four of these can still be seen today in Rome (they were all dedicated to Roman emperors).

Rome is full of ancient monuments. Sometimes these stand isolated and dotted around the city, and to the casual observer occasionally, they may even appear to be a monument of the Middle Ages (like Trajan's Column). The most incredible Roman building to explore is the Pantheon - an ancient Roman temple (now a church) that is the oldest building still in use. It is in such good repair that it may also appear to be from the Middle Ages.

Trajan's Column is perhaps the best known of these triumphal columns of Rome. It is one that is still standing, and it depicts the Roman emperor Trajan's victory in the Dacian Wars (modern-day Romania). In preparation for that campaign, Trajan built the longest Roman bridge ever constructed (and its ruins can be seen today on the banks of the Danube River).

Trajan's Column is located in Trajan's Forum to the north of the famous Roman Forum. It was built when Rome was at its strongest (completed AD 113).

The column depicts scenes from the wars between the Romans and the Dacians, and its spiral bas-relief has inspired numerous other victory columns (both modern and ancient). The frieze winds its way around the column some 23 times. Keep in mind when seeing it the column was originally painted and so the scenes would have been even more vivid. It has 155 scenes from the Dacian Wars and 58 of the emperor Trajan himself.

The massive column is made up of 20 colossal marble drums.

The column originally had a statue of Trajan (he reigned from 98 to 117 AD). This was lost in the Middle Ages, and in 1578, a statue of St Peter was placed there (and is there today).

Related: Beyond Dracula: Romania Is Home To Its Own Selection Of Roman Ruins

Another honorific column erected by the ancient Romans for an emperor is the Column of Antoninus Pius. It was built in AD 161 by Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus (his successors and co-emperors).

The Column of Antoninus Pius was much smaller than Trajan's Column. It was around 14.75 meters high (48.4 feet) and was constructed of red granite.

Visitors may be a little disappointed. The Column of Antoninus Pius has disappeared (it is known from coins and other depictions). The broken column and the base were rediscovered in the 18th century, but it wasn't possible to repair it. Its elaborate base does exist, and it can be seen at the Vatican Museums today. It is in the courtyard outside of the entrance to the Vatican Pinacoteca.

The Column of Marcus Aurelius is another of the impressive victory columns of Rome. It is also a Doric column that features a spiral relief (unsurprisingly, it was modeled on Trajan's Column).

It was built in honor of Marcus Aurelius and commemorates the Roman's victories over the Marcomanni, Quadi, and Sarmatians. As the dedicatory inscription has disappeared, the exact date of its construction is unknown.

It is made up of 27 or 28 blocks of Carrara marble and is one of the more striking Roman monuments in Rome today.

Related: These Are 10 Of The Best Roman Ruins Worth Seeing Today

A fourth column to be found in Rome is the Column of Phocas. This column is different as it was built after the fall of the Western Roman Empire when Italy had been reconquered by the remaining Eastern Roman Empire (the Italian Peninsula had been ruled by the Ostrogothic Kingdom). This sort of reconstituted the empire for a time (the actual history is complex).

The Column of Phocas honors the Eastern Roman Emperor Phocas and rises 13.6 meters or 44 feet tall in the Roman Forum.

It was dedicated on August 1, 608 - almost 500 years after the construction of the Trajan Column. It is possible that it was a recycled monument originally built for another purpose.

While the statue of Phocas has long been toppled from the column, the column itself continues to stand in the Roman Forum. It isolated and has become one of the icons of the Forum.

Aaron is a first-hand traveler who has visited more than 80 countries around the world. He is passionate about traveling and opening up the world for other intrepid explorers. He can be reached on Instagram at aaronspray