One thing that stands out to me about obelisks is that they are in no way Roman. Yet looking around Rome, you see obelisks everywhere. They are used as fountains and monuments, and even on bridges and other architecture. There were thirteen obelisks featured on our obelisk hunt alone, and I have seen numerous other obelisk representations around the city. So why has Rome adopted this symbol of an entirely different culture and people group? Rome claims to be all powerful, including their military, culture, art, and architecture, yet so many symbols of other cultures are present within the city of Rome. These obelisks were taken from the Egyptian culture, but were so incorporated into the Roman culture many centuries ago. You can see influences of Greek culture everywhere, as well. Based on the Roman ideals, I would say this has to do with their sense of power. Of course they could import Egyptian styles if they wanted; they were Rome. If it was possible, Rome could do it. And if it was not possible, Rome could still do it. Taking the obelisk away from another region was just another way of showing the extravagance and strength of the city of Rome.