What is a Spiral Relief Frieze?
The Trajan Column is an example of a spiral relief frieze. A relief is a work of art with figures or shapes raised above the surface, as on a sculpture. Relief is used in paintings, too, but there the artist uses light, shading, and perspective to give the illusion of relief. Tell students that the coins in their pockets have relief on them. However, these coins have very low relief (called bas-relief) so that they can be stacked on top of one another. A frieze is a sculptured or richly ornamented band. The Trajan Column is circular. Therefore, its frieze is a spiral. Classroom Activity Telling the Story of the Roman Empire with a Classroom “Relief Frieze” 1. Have students turn to page 515 in their textbook. Review what the class knows about the emperor Trajan. (You may wish to use the information above to help you.) Tell the class that after Trajan made his first major conquest, a big monument was constructed in his honor. Print out and share with students some details from the Trajan
