Reading The Column of Trajan as a Comic Strip

Trajan was emperor of Rome from 98-117 AD.  The Roman Empire was largest under his reign and he successfully drove back incoming hoards of "barbarians" from all over the empire.  In order to memorialize his great deeds, particularly his conquest of the region then known as Dacia (modern Romania mostly), he commissioned the building of what is now known as the Column of Trajan.  The depictions on the column spiral upwards and can amazingly be read as a kind of ancient comic strip when "unraveled."  The link below with take you to the interactive National Geographic page where you can further explore the imagery.

Trajan's Column

 

1. What stands out to you when looking at the imagery on the column?  Can you tell the Romans apart from the Dacians?  Can you pick out any important Roman army tactics that are prominently displayed?

2. There are many well documented battles and campaigns from the Roman world.  Pick your favorite, and using Trajan's Column as inspiration, make your own Roman comic strip!