Apollodorus of Damascus and Trajan's column

This volume explores the profound artistic and architectural legacy of Apollodorus of Damascus, focusing on his role in bridging the Syrian architectural tradition with the monumental urbanism of imperial Rome. Published to accompany an international exhibition and collaborative research initiative between Italy and Syria, the collected papers examine Apollodorus's mastery under the emperors Trajan and Hadrian, emphasizing his landmark achievement: Trajan's Column. The contributions detail the deep-rooted Near Eastern technical and aesthetic models that shaped Apollodorus's vision, trace the urban and political landscape of Classical-era Syria, and analyze the iconographic and spatial program of Trajan's Column's frieze. Furthermore, the work documents a modern conservation and casting project that brought sixteen life-sized resin replicas of the column's relief panels to the National Museum of Damascus. Ultimately, the publication underscores the shared Mediterranean heritage and enduring cultural dialogue between Syria and Italy.