Trajanic Trees: The Dacian Forest on Trajan's Column

Abstract

Trajan's Column stands in the centre of Rome as a proud monument to Trajan's triumph over Dacia in the early second century. On its 29 m tall shaft, a helical frieze depicts the events of the two wars which won the province for the Roman Empire. There are 224 trees to be found throughout this relief, 222 of which are native to Dacia. These trees have traditionally been treated as scene dividers and background material to the column's action. This article, which begins by exploring the identification of the trees in previous scholarship, argues that they are in fact crucial to the column's narrative of industry and conquest. The discussion of identification is followed by an examination of the numerous tree-felling scenes on the column as a metaphor for conquest. The article closes with a detailed analysis of contrasting representations of the two leaders on the column, Trajan and Decebalus, one an urban emperor, the other a forest king. By directing attention towards the arboreal population of the column, this article argues that trees cannot be dismissed as mere background detail, but play an active and significant role in the communication of ideas about triumph, imperialism and the conquest of nature.

The history of Dacia's forests in the Orăştie Mts. region.

“…We can mention Quercus of different species (scenes: VII, IX, XII, XV, XX-XXVI, XL-XLII, LVI, LVIII-LIX, LXII, LXIV, LXVII, LXIX, LXXII-LXXIII, XCII, CXI, CXII, CXVII, CXXIII, CXLII-CXLVI, CXLVIII-CL, CLI-CLIII), Pinus or Larix (XVIII, XIX, XXI, XXII, XXVIII, XXX, LXVIII, LXXIV), Acer (XLI, LXVIII, LXIX, LXXII-LXXIII, CXI, CXII, CXVII, CXXIII, CXXXIX-CXL, CXLII-CXLVI, CXLVIII-CL), Populus (CXXVIII, CXXXIII-CXXXVIII), and so on. These trees have often been considered as simple scene dividers, but this is only one of their many functions in the Column's narrative [21].…”

“…One of the best documented papers discussing these issues is that of Stoiculescu [44], whose interpretations and conclusions were cited by Fox [21]. The main division drawn by Stoiculescu is between resinous and deciduous trees.…”

“…The abundance and detail of the trees on the column are combined with the theme of war on the landscape (expressed through the numerous deforestation scenes on the column) and the distinction between an urban emperor, Trajan and a shepherd king, Decebal. Thus, the main purpose of the tree engravings becomes clear: to prove that the war and victory shown on the Column was not only against the Dacians but against the country of Dacia [21].…”

Divine Representation in Documentary Style: Gods on the Columns of Trajan and Marcus Aurelius

“… 1 Some important and recent studies: on the Column of Trajan: Cichorius 1896–1900; Jones 1910; Lehmann-Hartleben 1926; von Blanckenhagen 1957; Gauer 1977; Hölscher 1980: 291–7; Settis 1985; Bode 1992; Coarelli 2000; Faust 2012: 35–91; Claridge 2013; Beckmann 2016: 124–8; Mitthof and Schörner 2017; Fox 2018; Hölscher 2019: 293–310. On the Column of Marcus Aurelius: Petersen et al 1896; Hamberg 1945: 149–58; Becatti 1957; Bergmann 1991; Pirson 1996; Scheid and Huet 2000; Coarelli 2008; Ferris 2009; Beckmann 2011; Faust 2012: 92–120; Griebel 2013; Barrett 2017; Wolfram Thill 2018; Hölscher 2019: 310–20.…”

“… 21 Jupiter tonans : Hamberg 1945: 117–18; Gauer 1977: 25; Lepper and Frere 1988: 68–9; Baumer et al 1991: 291; Bode 1992: 141–2; Coarelli 2000: 68; Hölscher 2017: 22–3; Kovács 2017: 50; Fox 2018: 12–13. Against: Lehmann-Hartleben 1926: 94 n. 11; Faust 2012: 39–40, n. 249 (‘Jupiter propugnator ’, because of the god's aggressive action; contra , Hölscher 2017: 22–3).…”