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The libraries
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| To the west and east of Trajan's
Column were the Latin and the Greek library. These libraries both
looked the same. One entered them through a large fence and the first
thing one would would have seen, were the two statues. Niches filled
with scrolls were built in all the walls. There was a higher level
from which one looked down on the central floor of the library. Niches
were also built in the walls on this level. It is likely that there
were tables on the central floor to read and study the scrolls. The
higher level could be reached using stairs that lead from the Basilica
Ulpia to the library. |
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The interior of one of the two libraries. In
the walls there were niches. The viewer stands with his back to
the entrance.
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| Like in most of the rest of
the Forum of Trajan, all the columns in the libraries were of the
Corinthian order: slender and ornate and in the top of the capital
they are decorated with acantusleafs. Statues stood in front of most
of the columns and nearly everything was decorated with marble, which
was used in enormous amounts throughout the entire Forum. |
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Floating in the library this picture shows the
entrance. Through the window above the entrance Trajan's Column
is visible.
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| The ceiling was particulary
beautiful, being painted with red and blue on the white marble. It
fluented blended with the eight halfround windows that made for enough
light in the libraries to read. It was in fact one long barrel-vault,
crossed by three short brarrel-vaults, making it three crossvaults.
This makes it typically Roman. |
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The ceiling of one of the libraries.
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