This question’s been on my mind for a while now, mostly because I ‘ve never been able to find any discussion behind it, but is there any evidence to suggest this may have been the case?

If you look just beneath the capitals on Trajan or Hadrian’s columns, it seems to show fluted columns lay underneath the winding ribbon. I’m starting to wonder if all fluted columns were wrapped, and think that the fluting may have been designed specifically for this, for a few reasons.

Thoughts appreciated.