Unique Trajan statue restored

DENİZLİ – İhlas News Agency

The statue of a Roman emperor, which was found during archaeological excavations in Laodicea ancient city in the western province of Denizli last year, will be put on display at the Hierapolis Archaeology Museum soon.

The statue is a one and only in the world in terms of its symbols and features.

The statue of the Roman Emperor Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus (Trajan) was found last year and included in the unique artifacts of the archaeology world.

The excavation work in the ancient Laodicea is headed by Professor Celal Şimşek. The statue, which dates back to 113 A.D., was in 356 pieces when found.

The three-meter statue, which depicts a Dacian enemy soldier with hands tied behind his back, has an armor, as well as symbols showing that he was brutal against enemies but protective of his friends, and was a powerful emperor protecting art.

Şimşek said that the statue belonging to Emperor Trajan was among the most important works found during the excavations carried out in the ancient city for 15 years.

“The statue of Emperor Traian is about three meters high. He was the emperor between in 98 and 117 A.D. He is the emperor that extended the Roman borders of the Roman world to the widest. We know that the city lived its golden age especially during this emperor’s tenure, also in the time of Hadrian, who came later. Trajan always fought. He doesn’t have many statues. This is the most detailed, highest quality sculpture found and studies related to it continue. In the future, if a modern museum is built in DenizIi, I think there will be tourists who will come to see this statue from different parts of the world,” said Şimşek.

Emperor Trajan

Roman emperor Trajan is best known for his extensive public building program, which reshaped the city of Rome and left numerous landmarks such as Trajan’s Forum, Trajan’s Market and Trajan’s Column. His conquest of Dacia enriched the empire greatly, as the new province possessed many valuable gold mines.

His campaigns expanded the Roman Empire to its greatest territorial extent. In late 117, while sailing back to Rome, Trajan fell ill and died of a stroke. He was deified by the Senate and his ashes were laid to rest under the column. He was succeeded by his cousin Hadrian, whom Trajan supposedly appointed on his deathbed.