Rome, The Forum of Trajan... 1840.

ITALY - SEPTEMBER 03: 'Rome, The Forum of Trajan, with broken columns. In the centre the column of Trajan�, a daguerreotype by Lorenzo Suscipi. The Forum of Trajan was the last, largest, and most splendid of the early imperial forums. Building began in about 112 AD during the reign of the Emperor Trajan but was not finished until 128 AD, in the reign of the Emperor Hadrian. Trajan's column stands in the centre, with the church of Santa Maria di Loreto to the left. The Column is the best preserved feature of the Forum. Built to house the emperor's ashes, it is decorated with scenes from his campaigns against the Dacians. Photographer Alexander Ellis planned to produce a book, 'Italy Daguerreotyped', containing his own photographs and those of Suscipi and Achille Morelli but the project was never realised. (Photo by SSPL/Getty Images)