At the base of Trajan's Column a door gives access to arr'interior spiral staircase 185 steps, carved out of the solid stone and lit by 40 small windows set at regular intervals. It leads to the top platform balcony, from where as many as 15 people could stand overlooking the Roman Forum spread out beneath them. Why do you suppose Trajan wished to give access to this view? How do grand views inform imperial aspirations? Why do you suppose that continually, over the course of history, the grand view-from the Parthenon, the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building—so attracts us?