La colonna nel foro di Traiano

Antonio Labacco, Libro d'Antonio Labacco appartenente a l'architettvra nel qval si figvrano alcvne notabili antiqvita di Roma (Rome, 1552), p. 14

The Column of Trajan is well-known for its spiral relief, depicting the emperor's victory in the war against the Dacians (101–106 C.E.). Standing over 42 meters high, the column’s sculpted surface features more than 200 figures, beginning with soldiers preparing for war and ending with the ousting of the Dacians.

Here, however, Labacco shows the column in three different views—none of which focuses on its virtuoso sculptural decoration. One view depicts the internal structure of the column, highlighting its spiral staircase. The other shows the column’s exterior entirely devoid of its reliefs. While, at the center of the page, one sees ground plans of the column’s different levels. Through this representation, we are able to view the Column of Trajan from a purely architectural viewpoint. The focus here is not on the aesthetic qualities of the column, but on the ingenuity of its structural design.