Triumphal Paintings

From the 3rd century BC, a specific genre known as Triumphal Paintings appeared, as indicated by Pliny
(XXXV, 22). These were paintings which showed triumphal entries after military victories, represented
episodes from the war, and conquered regions and cities. Summary maps were drawn to highlight key
points of the campaign. These paintings have disappeared, but they likely influenced the composition of
the historical reliefs carved on military sarcophagi, the Arch of Titus, and Trajan's Column. This evidence
underscores the significance of landscape painting, which sometimes tended towards being perspective
plans.
This episode is difficult to pinpoint. One of Ranuccio's hypotheses is that it refers to a victory of the
consul Fabius Maximus Rullianus during the second war against Samnites in 326 BC. The presentation of
the figures with sizes proportional to their importance is typically Roman, and finds itself in plebeian
reliefs. This painting is in the infancy of triumphal painting, and would have been accomplished by the
beginning of the 3rd century BC to decorate the tomb.
Trajans column- A continuous frieze winds up around the tower from base to capital. The relief
portrays Trajan's two victorious military campaigns against the Dacians; the lower half illustrating the
first (101-102), and the top half illustrating the second (105-106).
The two sections are separated by a personification of Victory writing on a shield flanked on either side
by Trophies. Otherwise, the scenes on the frieze unfold continuously and in tipped-up perspective. The
imagery is not realistic as the sculptor pays little attention to perspective. Often a variety of different
perspectives are used in the same scene, so that more can be revealed (e.g., a different angle is used to
show men working behind a wall).
The scenes depict mostly the Roman army in military activities such as setting out to battle and engaging
the Dacians, as well as constructing fortifications and listening to the emperor's address and the success
he accomplished. The carvings are crowded with sailors, soldiers, statesmen and priests, showing about
2,500 figures in all and providing a valuable source of information for modern historians on Roman and
barbaric arms and methods of warfare (such as forts, ships, weapons etc.). The relief shows such details as
a ballista or catapult for example. The emperor Trajan, depicted realistically in the Veristic style, makes
59 appearances among his troops.
Fonte: http://www.crystalinks.com/romeart.html