This podcast explores the Forum of Trajan as a political and architectural symbol of Roman power, analyzing how it communicated imperial ideology across empire, city, art, and personal ritual—proving that Rome built not just monuments, but messages in stone.

The Forum of Trajan stands as a monumental testament to Roman engineering, urban design, and imperial ideology. Commissioned by Emperor Trajan and designed by Apollodorus of Damascus, it reshaped Rome’s core by integrating civic spaces, markets, and libraries. Its iconic components, such as Trajan’s Column, depict Dacian Wars through artistic innovations. Funded by war spoils, the forum reflects imperial values, economic planning, and cultural pride, serving diverse functions like commerce,...