Military COLUMN, was a column of marble raised by order of Augustus in the middle of the Roman forum; from whence, as a centre, the distances of the several cities, &c. of the empire were reckoned, by other military columns disposed at equal distances on all the grand roads. This column was of white marble, the same with that which is now seen on the balustrade of the perron of the capitol at Rome. Its proportion is massive, being a short cylinder, the symbol of the globe of the earth. It was called milliareum aureum, as having been gilt, at least the ball, by order of Augustus. It was restored by the emperors Vespasian and Adrian, as appears by the inscriptions.