The First Dacian War: Reliefs Scene-by-Scene on Trajan’s Column in Rome

For the sake of convenience, simplicity, and convention the individual scenes and the clustering of scenes into separate events of the Dacian campaigns follow the divisions originally created by Conrad Cichorius (1896-1900; see bibliography or the original plates).  The “clusters” below mirror those used in the commentary published by Lepper and Frere (1988).   As this site grows I hope to include  summaries of some of the modern controversies surrounding the identification of scene, events, and topography.  A good place to review scholarship before the mid 1980s on this topic can be found in Lepper and Frere (1988, with commentary) and Koeppel (1982 – sources only).  I have included some introductory comments on the composition and precedents for the reliefs on the Column on a separate page.

The titles used for each photo in the galleries below contain two sets of Roman numerals.  The first refers to the corresponding Plate (or Plates) in the original publication by Cichorius.  The second Roman numeral refers to the scene number.  This system matches the one used to label the Plates in the atlas of Coarelli et al. (2000).  Unless otherwise noted, all photographs and composite photographs in the galleries here are by R. B. Ulrich.

This page is updated regularly as more images are collected and processed. Some images may be viewed in 3D by following this link.

Last update: 27 December 2017.

The First Dacian War (101-102 CE), Scenes I-V:

The first five scenes on the Column of Trajan depict: Scene I: Watchtowers and Roman soldiers on the banks of the Danube River; Scene II: A river town on the banks of the Danube and the loading of boats; Scene III: A town on the banks of the Danube, and a personification of the river itself; Scene IV: Roman troops cross the river on a pontoon bridge; Scene V: the Roman march.  The formal offensive begins with the crossing of the Roman Army over the Danube River in the year 101 (so, too, a river crossing will mark the beginning of the Second Dacian War).

The First Dacian War, Scenes VI-XXI:

The 16 scenes introduce many of the themes (except for battle) connected with Trajan’s first campaign in Dacia. Scene VI: Trajan’s first war council; Scene VII: Movement of the Cavalry; Scene VIII: First Suovetaurilia sacrifice; Scene IX: Omen of the fallen man; Scene X: First adlocutio; Scene XI: First scene of fort construction; Scene XII: Additional fort construction with Trajan as overseer; Scene XIII: Sentries and a Roman camp; Scene XIV: The emperor ascends to a hill-top fort; Scene XV: Forest-clearing scene; Scene XVI: Fort construction in the presence of Trajan; Scene XVII: A Roman fort by a stream; Scene XVIII: First Dacian prisoner presented to Trajan; Scene XIX:  Bridge construction; Scene XX: Fort construction with Trajan’s supervision; Scene XXI: Cavalry march in front of a Roman fort.

The First Dacian War, Scenes XXII-XXV:

The compositions include marches and road-building in forests and the the first great battle scene. Scene XXII: Roman soldiers cluster at the edge of a forest; Scene XXIII: The forest is cleared by Roman troops; Scene XXIV: The first great battle, aided by Jupiter Tonans; Scene XXV: Trajan surveys a captured Dacian settlement.

The First Dacian War, Scenes XXVI-XXX:

Advance and regrouping in the first campaign. Scene XXVI: Roman soldiers ford a river; Scene XXVII: Second adlocutio scene; Scene XXVIII: First reception of a Dacian embassy by the emperor, who stands before a Roman camp; Scene XXIX: Roman troops attack settlements, burning buildings and slaughtering livestock; Scene XXX: Trajan pardons a Dacian woman while other captured women and children look on.

The First Dacian War, Scenes XXXI-XXXVIII:

Dacians and their Sarmatian allies organize a counterattack against the Romans, perhaps during the winter spanning 101-102 CE.  Scene XXXI: Dacian horsemen struggle to cross a body of water; Scene XXXII: Dacians attack a Roman fort, a representation that includes an exceptional depiction of a battering ram.  Scene XXXIII: In response to Dacian attacks, Trajan departs from his winter quarters by ship with a walled town as a backdrop.  Scene XXXIV: Trajan and his troops travel by ship along the river; Scene XXXV: Trajan reaches shore and disembarks; Scene XXXVI: Trajan leads Roman infantry and allies; Scene XXXVII: Romans attack and defeat Sarmatian cataphracts; Scene XXXVIII: A battle by night (indicated by a personification of the goddess of night).

The First Dacian War, Scenes XXXIX-XLV:

Scene XXXIX: The sequence begins with a Dacian embassy of noblemen who are received by the emperor; meanwhile a group of civilians watches the construction of a Roman fort, perhaps located in Moesia; Scene XL: The second major battle scene includes the singular depiction of wounded Roman soldiers being treated in the field (thus sometimes called the “Battle of the Bandages;” Scene XLI:   The battle ends in a rout of the Dacians, who flee into the mountains.  Scene XLII: The third scene of adlocutio; Scene XLIII: Dacian prisoners are put under guard within a walled enclosure; XLIV: Roman soldiers are given rewards.  XLV: Nude and bound men are shown being tortured by women, the latter traditionally identified as Dacian women (war widows?) maltreating captured Roman soldiers.

The First Dacian War, Scenes XLVI-LXXIII:

Scene XLVI: Trajan presides over an embarkation; Scene XLVII: Troops reach a shoreline and disembark; Scene XLVIII: Legions cross a river using a pontoon bridge; XLIX: Three columns of Roman soldiers and their support march; L: Trajan greets arriving soldiers; LI: The arrival of Trajan at a Roman fort; LII: Amid a scene of clearing timber, Trajan receives a Dacian embassy; LIII: Second scene of the suovetaurilia sacrifice; LIV: Adlocutio scene; LV: The Roman infantry ascends steep terrain; LVI: Forest clearing for a road; LVII: Attack and torching of Dacian buildings; LVIII: Trajan on horseback rides over a bridge; LIX: Dacians retreat; LX: Roman fort construction; LXI: Trajan and his officers receive a kneeling Dacian; LXII: Forts and mustering in mountainous terrain; LXIII: Roman forces shown in the mountains; LXIV: Allied Numidian cavalry ride against Dacian forces; LXV: A Roman fort under construction in hilly terrain; LXVI: Trajan receives an envoy, heavy artillery construction and battle; LXVII: Dacians, under pressure, fell trees for their defense; LXVIII: Against a backdrop of Roman camp construction, Trajan receives a prisoner; LXIX: Roman legionaries clear timber; LXX: Roman allied forces move against the Dacians; LXXI: A singular testudo formation assaults a Dacian fortress; LXXII: Amidst the last major battle of the first Dacian War, Trajan is presented with severed heads of the enemy;  LXXIII: While construction takes place in the foreground, Trajan addresses his soldiers (adlocutio).

The First Dacian War Ends: Scenes LXXIV-LXXVIII:

In the final scenes of the first Dacian war, we see Scene LXXV: The subjugation of the Dacian people; Scene LXXVII: A final speech given by Trajan to his men; Scene LXXVIII: A prominent winged Victoria figure who inscribes a shield in commemoration of the Roman victory.  This last scene  from the first Dacian War occurs half-way up the northwest axis of the Column.

Continue to Images and commentary on the Second Dacian War.