One of the most important monuments of Imperial Rome and at the
same time one of the most poorly understood, the Column of Marcus
Aurelius has long stood in the shadow of the Column of Trajan. In
The Column of Marcus Aurelius, Martin Beckmann makes a
thorough study of the form, content, and meaning of this
infrequently studied monument. Beckmann employs a new approach to
the column, one that focuses on the process of its creation and
construction, to uncover the cultural significance of the column to
the Romans of the late second century A.D. Using clues from ancient
sources and from the monument itself, this book traces the creative
process step by step from the first decision to build the monument
through the processes of planning and construction to the final
carving of the column's relief decoration. The conclusions
challenge many of the widely held assumptions about the value of
the column's 700-foot-long frieze as a historical source. By
reconstructing the creative process of the column's sculpture,
Beckmann opens up numerous new paths of analysis not only to the
Column of Marcus Aurelius but also to Roman imperial art and
architecture in general.