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Apollodorus of Damascus
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Trajan's Forum in Rome, Italy, showing ancient brick ruins with arched walls and a central tower, surrounded by modern city buildings and trees. Trajan's Forum, Rome, designed by Apollodorus of Damascus, early 2nd century ad; one of the semicircular colonnaded exedrae. The Column of Marcus Aurelius stands in Piazza Colonna, Rome, featuring spiral relief carvings and a statue on top, surrounded by historic buildings.
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Hagia Sophia. Istanbul, Turkey. Constantinople. Church of the Holy Wisdom. Church of the Divine Wisdom. Mosque.
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Flourished:
2nd century ad
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Trajan's Forum
Trajan's Forum Trajan's Forum, Rome; designed by Apollodorus of Damascus.

Apollodorus of Damascus

Greek architect and engineer
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Trajan's Forum, Rome, designed by Apollodorus of Damascus, early 2nd century ad; one of the semicircular colonnaded exedrae.
Trajan's Forum, Rome, designed by Apollodorus of Damascus, early 2nd century ad; one of the semicircular colonnaded exedrae.

Apollodorus of Damascus (flourished 2nd century ad) was a Damascus-born Greek engineer and architect who worked primarily for the Roman emperor Trajan (reigned 98–117). He was banished by the emperor Hadrian—perhaps following a disagreement about a temple design—and executed about 130.

Trajan's Column
Trajan's ColumnTrajan's Column, Rome, memorial with marble reliefs, designed by Apollodorus of Damascus.

Apollodorus is credited with the design of most of the imperial buildings erected under Trajan, including the baths, forum, column, and public market that bear Trajan’s name, as well as the Ulpian basilica in Rome (also named for the emperor) and the impressive bridge over the Danube (Trajan’s Bridge) at what is now Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Romania. Apollodorus is known to have written several technical treatises, though none survive.

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