About the Aurelian Column

In Piazza Colonna stands an ancient Roman victory column.
It is the Column of Marcus Aurelius (or Aurelian Column). Here’s some facts about this important – but often ignored ­– monument.

Celebrating a victory

Even though people often remember Marcus Aurelius for the movie The Gladiator, he was a great Roman emperor.
From 166 to 180, the Emperor fought in the Marcomannic wars: with their success, Romans were able to stop all Barbarian invasions and rebellions. Such an important achievement needed to be celebrated properly.
In 39,7 mt and 27 blocks of marble, we can see the whole war, starting with the crossing of River Danube. 

Marcus Aurelius or Antoninus Pius

Through the years, we lost the original inscription: this means we don’t know whether Romans built it before or after Marcus Aurelius died.
In 1589, the architect Domenico Fontana restored it and replaced it with a new one: it reported a dedication to Emperor Antoninus Pius.
This confused historians for a while: some call it Antonine Column, others Aurelian Column. 

Totally different from Trajan’s 

Rome has another famous victory column: it is in the Roman Forum and it is dedicated to Emperor Trajan.
Erected after the Dacian wars, its style and story are completely different. First of all, in the Aurelian Column events are not displayed in chronological order. It shows the war with drama and empathy, while the Trajan Column has a cool and sober balance. 

… Is that St. Paul up there?

The restoration of Domenico Fontana in 1589 brought to some changes. For example, the statue on the top.
As ordered by Pope Sixtus V, Fontana removed the Emperor Marcus Aurelius and placed St. Paul.
It wasn’t the first time: two years before, another Emperor lost his “throne”. On the top of the Trajan Column, Fontana placed a statue of St. Peter.