Milliary COLUMN, a column of marble raised by order of Augustus in the middle of the Roman forum, from which, as a centre, the distances of the several cities and stations of the empire were reckoned by other milliary columns disposed at equal distances on all the great roads. This column was of white marble, the same with that which is now seen on the balustrade of an edifice in the capitol at Rome. Its proportion is massive, being a short cylinder, the symbol of the globe of the earth. It was called milliarium aureum, as having been gilt, at least the ball, by order of Augustus. It was restored by the Emperors Vespasian and Hadrian, as appears by the inscriptions.