Forum of Trajan c. 1890 - 1900

Samuel J. Beckett captured the Forum of Trajan in this photograph. The Roman Empire was one of the most successful empires in history, and its success was due in no small part to its ability to project an image of strength and authority. Forums like this one were central spaces for the performance of power. The Forum of Trajan was the last and largest of Rome's imperial forums, paid for with the spoils of war, namely the Roman conquest of Dacia. The scale of the Forum complex, including the Basilica Ulpia and Trajan's Column, was unprecedented. Through architecture and sculpture, the Forum was designed to awe and inspire, and to communicate the power of the emperor and the glory of Rome. The images we create always serve specific social purposes. By examining this photograph alongside archeological reports, period maps, and other historical documents, we can better understand how this space has shaped Roman society.