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Column of Marcus Aurelius

The column stands in the middle of Piazza Colonna, opposite Palazzo Chigi, the seat of the prime minister. It was erected between the year 180, when Marcus Aurelius died, and 193, and was completed by his son Commodus. It is about 30 metres high on a base of 12, and is made up of 28 cylindrical blocks of Luni marble. It imitates Trajan's Column: a spiral band of reliefs tells of the emperor's campaigns against the Germans (172-173) and the Sarmatians (174-175), and is read from bottom to top, from the crossing of the Danube by a bridge of boats through marches, camps, battles and sieges. A winged Victory separates the two wars. In 1589 Sixtus V commissioned Domenico Fontana to carry out a restoration and the column was crowned with a bronze statue of St Paul. An inscription wrongly attributes the monument to Antoninus Pius, hence the name Antonine Column.

Things to do at Column of Marcus Aurelius: 4 missions

• Follow the first scene: the bridge over the DanubeStart at the lower part of the relief, which tells of the crossing of the Danube by a bridge of boats, and follow it upwards with your eyes through the marches and the camps.
• Find the winged Victory that divides the campaignsFollow the spiral band until you find the figure of the winged Victory, which separates the war against the Germans from that against the Sarmatians.
• Spot the bronze statue of St PaulLook up to the top of the column and find the bronze statue of St Paul placed there in 1589.
• Frame the column against Palazzo ChigiFrame the column with Palazzo Chigi behind it and notice the contrast between the Roman monument and the government building.

Near Column of Marcus Aurelius

Source: Web oficial - Turismo Roma