Who was Emperor Trajan?
Trajan was a Roman emperor who ruled from A.D. 98 until his death in A.D. 117. Born in Italica (Seville in modern-day Spain), Trajan was the first Roman emperor born outside of Italy.
What does Trajan stand for?
Trajan (/ ˈtreɪdʒən / TRAY-jən; Latin: Caesar Nerva Trajanus; 18 September 53 – 9/11 August 117) was Roman emperor from 98 to 117.
What was Trajan early life like?
Childhood & Early Life Trajan was born Marcus Ulpius Traianus, on September 18, 53 AD. Trajan’s mother, Marcia, was a Roman noblewoman and the sister-in-law of Roman Emperor Titus. Trajan started his military training very early in life. In 89 AD, Trajan marched to Rhine to help Domitian fight against the rebel German governor, Saturninus.
Was Trajan a good or bad ruler?
In short, according to the ethics for autocracy developed by most political writers of the Imperial Roman Age, Trajan was a good ruler in that he ruled less by fear, and more by acting as a role model, for, according to Pliny, "men learn better from examples".
What kind of leader was Trajan?
Trajan was a great ruler, effective military leader and conqueror. Trajan has since gained status as the second of the 'Five Good Emperors', by Edward Gibbon, 18th Century historian.
What was Emperor Trajan best known for?
Trajan was a Roman emperor (98–117 CE) who sought to extend the boundaries of the empire to the east, undertook a vast building program, and enlarged social welfare. He is also remembered for Trajan's Column, an innovative work of art that commemorated his Dacian Wars.
Was Trajan a good emperor?
This warrior was the best of ancient Rome's 'Five Good Emperors' A powerful military commander born in Spain, Trajan was very good to his imperial subjects—but woe to the foreigners who opposed him. A marble statue of Trajan, who ruled Rome from A.D. 98 until 117.
Who was the greatest emperor of Rome?
AugustusGaius Octavius Thurinus, also known as Octavian or “Augustus,” served as the first official emperor of the Roman Empire, and is often seen by historians as the greatest.
What are 5 interesting facts about Trajan?
Interesting Facts About Roman Emperor Trajan His birth name was Marcus Ulpius Traianus. Trajan's Bridge over the Danube River was the longest arch bridge in the world for over 1000 years. Trajan helped the poor through a welfare program called the Alimenta. Trajan's column still stands in modern-day Rome.
What was Trajan's personality?
Dio Cassius, when discussing Trajan's reign describes Trajan perfectly: "He was most conspicous for his justice, for his bravery, and for the simplicity of his habits... He did not envy or slay any one, but honoured and exalted all good men without exception, and hence he neither feared nor hated any of them.
Who ruled Rome the longest?
AugustusAugustus. Augustus belongs at the top of this list, given his position as the first emperor and his success. Ruling from 27 B.C-14 A.D., Augustus was not just the founder of the Empire, but also the emperor with the longest reign.
Who were the good emperors?
Five Good Emperors, the ancient Roman imperial succession of Nerva (reigned 96–98 ce), Trajan (98–117), Hadrian (117–138), Antoninus Pius (138–161), and Marcus Aurelius (161–180), who presided over the most majestic days of the Roman Empire. It was not a bloodline.
Who was Emperor Trajan and when did he come to power?
Trajan was a Roman emperor who ruled from A.D. 98 until his death in A.D. 117. Born in Italica (Seville in modern-day Spain), Trajan was the first Roman emperor born outside of Italy. He was also one of the first emperors to be chosen, rather than to inherit power as part of a ruling family.
What is a quote that Trajan said?
“A dagger wants flesh, her father would say. Find it.” “Ultimately, when he held your treasonous letter in his hand and saw how you had lied to him, the choice between me and you was the choice between someone who loves him and someone who didn't.”
What happened to Trajan's statue?
After construction, a statue of Trajan was put in place; this disappeared in the Middle Ages. On December 4, 1587, the top was crowned with a bronze figure of Saint Peter the Apostle by Pope Sixtus V, which remains to this day.
How did Trajan gain power?
After the assassination of Domitian in 96 AD, the new emperor Nerva appointed Trajan as governor of Upper Germany and shortly after his appointment in 97 AD he received a note from Nerva telling him of his adoption. Afterwards he made him the successor of the empire.
Why is Trajan famous?
Trajan was a Roman emperor (98–117 CE) who sought to extend the boundaries of the empire to the east, undertook a vast building program, and enlarg...
What was Trajan’s childhood like?
Marcus Ulpius Traianus was born in the Roman province of Baetica (Andalusia). While his family was probably prominent in Baetica, his father was th...
What were Trajan’s achievements?
Trajan undertook or encouraged extensive public works: roads, bridges, aqueducts, the reclamation of wastelands, and the construction of harbours a...
How did Trajan influence the world?
Trajan abandoned the policy of not extending the Roman frontiers established by Augustus. He added Dacia, Arabia, Armenia, and Mesopotamia to the e...
What was Trajan known for?
As a civilian administrator, Trajan is best known for his extensive public building program, which reshaped the city of Rome and left numerous enduring landmarks such as Trajan's Forum, Trajan's Market and Trajan's Column . Early in his reign, he annexed the Nabataean Kingdom, creating the province of Arabia Petraea.
Who was the father of Trajan?
For the emperor's father, see Marcus Ulpius Trajanus (father of Trajan). Trajan ( / ˈtreɪdʒən / TRAY-jən; Latin: Caesar Nerva Trajanus; 18 September 53 – 9/11 August 117) was Roman emperor from 98 to 117. Officially declared by the Senate optimus princeps ("best ruler"), Trajan is remembered as a successful soldier-emperor who presided over ...
What is Trajan's account of the Dacian Wars?
An account of the Dacian Wars, the Commentarii de bellis Dacicis, written by Trajan himself or a ghostwriter and modelled after Caesar 's Commentarii de Bello Gallico, is lost with the exception of one sentence. Only fragments remain of the Getica, a book by Trajan's personal physician Titus Statilius Criton. The Parthica, a 17-volume account of the Parthian Wars written by Arrian, has met a similar fate. Book 68 in Cassius Dio 's Roman History, which survives mostly as Byzantine abridgements and epitomes, is the main source for the political history of Trajan's rule. Besides this, Pliny the Younger 's Panegyricus and Dio of Prusa 's orations are the best surviving contemporary sources. Both are adulatory perorations, typical of the High Imperial period, that describe an idealized monarch and an equally idealized view of Trajan's rule, and concern themselves more with ideology than with fact. The tenth volume of Pliny's letters contains his correspondence with Trajan, which deals with various aspects of imperial Roman government, but this correspondence is neither intimate nor candid: it is an exchange of official mail, in which Pliny's stance borders on the servile. It is certain that much of the text of the letters that appear in this collection over Trajan's signature was written and/or edited by Trajan's Imperial secretary, his ab epistulis. Therefore, discussion of Trajan and his rule in modern historiography cannot avoid speculation. Non-literary sources such as archaeology, epigraphy, and numismatics are also useful for reconstructing his reign.
How did Trajan die?
Early in 117, Trajan grew ill and set out to sail back to Italy. His health declined throughout the spring and summer of 117, something publicly acknowledged by the fact that a bronze bust displayed at the time in the public baths of Ancyra showed him clearly aged and emaciated. After reaching Selinus (modern Gazipaşa) in Cilicia, which was afterwards called Trajanopolis, he suddenly died from edema in August. Some say that Trajan had adopted Hadrian as his successor, but others claim that it was his wife Pompeia Plotina who assured the succession to Hadrian by keeping his death secret and afterwards hiring someone to impersonate Trajan by speaking with a tired voice behind a curtain, well after Trajan had died. Dio, who tells this narrative, offers his father – the then governor of Cilicia Apronianus – as a source, and therefore his narrative is possibly grounded on contemporary rumor. It may also originate in Roman displeasure at an empress meddling in political affairs.
How did Trajan devalue the Roman currency?
In 107 Trajan devalued the Roman currency by decreasing the silver content of the denarius from 93.5% to 89.0% – the actual silver weight dropping from 3.04 grams to 2.88 grams. This devaluation, along with the massive amounts of gold and silver acquired as a result of Trajan's Dacian Wars, allowed the emperor to mint many more denarii than his predecessors. Also, Trajan withdrew from circulation silver denarii minted before the previous devaluation achieved by Nero, something that allows for thinking that Trajan's devaluation had to do with political ends, such as allowing for increased civil and military spending.
What did Trajan give the plebs?
On his entry to Rome, Trajan granted the plebs a direct gift of money. The traditional donative to the troops, however, was reduced by half. There remained the issue of the strained relations between the emperor and the Senate, especially after the supposed bloodiness that had marked Domitian's reign and his dealings with the Curia. By feigning reluctance to hold power, Trajan was able to start building a consensus around him in the Senate. His belated ceremonial entry into Rome in 99 was notably understated, something on which Pliny the Younger elaborated.
Where did Trajan defeat the Dacian army?
In May of 101, Trajan launched his first campaign into the Dacian kingdom, crossing to the northern bank of the Danube and defeating the Dacian army at Tapae (see Second Battle of Tapae ), near the Iron Gates of Transylvania. It was not a decisive victory, however. Trajan's troops took heavy losses in the encounter, and he put off further campaigning for the year in order to regroup and reinforce his army.
Who was Trajan before he became Emperor?
Before he was emperor, Trajan was an army commander, senator, and governor of upper Germany. These experiences helped him gain the support of both the sitting emperor, Nerva, who named him as his successor, and generals of the Roman army.
How long did Trajan rule?
During his 19-year reign, Trajan expanded the Roman Empire to its farthest territorial limits up until that date. The empire stretched from Scotland down to Northern Africa and swept east across the Mediterranean as far as Mesopotamia, or modern-day Iraq.
What did Trajan do after Nerva's death?
After Nerva’s death in A.D. 98, Trajan prioritized protecting and expanding the Roman Empire. He twice defeated the people from the region of Dacia, where modern-day Romania is located. He used the bountiful plunder from these victories to fund public works projects in Rome.
How did Trajan die?
Trajan died in A.D. 117 after falling ill while defending the empire’s extensive borders. This is a studio image of a broken statue of Trajan, who ruled Rome from A.D. 98-117 and expanded the empire to its furthest boundaries. Kenneth Garrett.
Who was the first Roman emperor born outside of Italy?
Encyclopedic Entry. Vocabulary. Trajan was a Roman emperor who ruled from A.D. 98 until his death in A.D. 117. Born in Italica (Seville in modern-day Spain), Trajan was the first Roman emperor born outside of Italy.
How did Trajan prove himself to be a better ruler?
Despite that, Trajan continued to prove himself to be a better ruler by introducing several new reforms in the society. He ordered the construction of several roads, public baths, and new bridges. He also eased business processes for Rome by building a modern port in Ostia.
When did Trajan die?
However, he never made it back. During his trip back, he fell seriously ill and died on August 9, 117 AD. His body was taken back to Rome, and his cremation took place as per Roman rituals.
Why did Trajan march to Rhine?
In 89 AD, Trajan marched to Rhine to help Domitian fight against the rebel German governor, Saturninus. Although the battle was won even before Trajan arrived on the battleground, Domitian still decided to honor him. He was bestowed with the honor of praetor in 85 AD and with the honor of consul in 91 AD.
How did Trajan's military campaigns contribute to his celebrity status?
Moreover, his military campaigns contributed to his celebrity status. He conquered the Dacians and launched three military invasions. Thus, under his reign, the Roman Empire reached its peak. Trajan performed many other social and political reforms that made him popular in his rival kingdoms, too.
How many gladiators did Trajan slaughter?
Trajan returned to Rome after attaining this major victory, and as part of the celebration, he organized a series of grand gladiator matches that involved over ten thousand gladiators and caused the slaughter of about eleven thousand animals. Under his reign, his kingdom was peaceful for the next few years.
What was Trajan's passion?
Historians often mention him as a thoughtful ruler. However, Trajan’s true passion was war. Throughout his reign that lasted 19 years, Trajan was involved in several wars. Three of the most widely talked-about wars were the two wars with the Dacians and one at the eastern frontier.
Where was Trajan born?
Trajan was born Marcus Ulpius Traianus, on September 18, 53 AD. His birthplace, Hispania Baetica, is part of present-day Spain. He was the first Roman emperor who was born outside Italy. He belonged to a well-respected noble family in the province of Hispania.
Who was Trajan's wife?
Later, in 91 AD, Trajan created an ordinary Consul for the year. At the same time, he married Pompeia Plotina, a noblewoman from the Roman Settlement at Nimes. However, there were no children in this marriage.
Why was Trajan so popular?
Trajan was popular for his bravery and simplicity of his habits.
How many gladiators did Trajan have?
When Trajan returned to Rome, his victories were celebrated by gladiatoral contests including more than 10.000 gladiators and about 11.000 animals
What was Trajan's passion?
Trajan was popular among Roman citizens as an emperor, but his main passion was war. He ruled for 19 years, and during that period, he participated in three major wars: the first two with the Dacians and the last on the eastern frontier. During the reign of Domitian, Trajan was also involved with King Decebalus, but without any special consequences. Finally, in 101 AD, Trajan left Rome to battle with the Dacians and easily defeated them at Tapae. As a result, Decebalus was forced to cede a large piece of territory north of the Danube, but he did not respect the peace agreement.
Why did Trajan not return to Rome after Nerva's death?
Moreover, after Nerva’s death, Trajan did not return to Rome for some time because he inspected the Rhine and Danube frontiers to protect the Dacians. Finally, in 99 AD, he came back to Rome.
When did Trajan return to the north?
Later, in 105 AD , Trajan returned to the north to fight the pesky Dacians again. Decebalus was defeated, and the Romans went to the Dacian capital of Sarmizegethusa, where the whole treasury was seized and sent back to Rome. Then, Decebalus committed suicide since he was in fear of being captured. Thus, the kingdom of Dacia became part of the Empire. However, over half a million people moved away from its territories, and Roman colonists moved there, creating the “Land of the Romans” or today’s Romania.
Where was Marcus Ulpius Traianus born?
Marcus Ulpius Traianus was born in Italica, located near Sevilla, an Italic settlement in the province of Hispania Baetica, in 53 AD. He was the son of Marcia, a Roman noblewoman and sister-in-law of Emperor Titus. Marcus Ulpius Traianus, the elder, served Vespasian in the First Jewish-Roman War. In 76-77 AD, Trajan’s father was Governor of Syria.
Overview
Military campaigns
Trajan took the Roman empire to its greatest expanse. The earliest conquests were Rome's two wars against Dacia, an area that had troubled Roman politics for over a decade in regard to the unstable peace negotiated by Domitian's ministers with the powerful Dacian king Decebalus. Dacia would be reduced by Trajan's Rome to a client kingdom in the first war (101–102), followed by a sec…
Sources
As an emperor, Trajan's reputation has endured – he is one of the few rulers whose reputation has survived nineteen centuries. Every new emperor after him was honoured by the Senate with the wish felicior Augusto, melior Traiano (that he be "luckier than Augustus and better than Trajan"). Among medieval Christian theologians, Trajan was considered a virtuous pagan. In the Renaissance, Machiavelli, speaking on the advantages of adoptive succession over heredity, mentioned the fi…
Early life
Marcus Ulpius Trajanus was born on 18 September 53 AD in the Roman province of Hispania Baetica (in what is now Andalusia in modern Spain), in the city of Italica (now in the municipal area of Santiponce, in the outskirts of Seville). His year of birth is not reliably attested and may have been 56 AD.
He was frequently designated as the first provincial emperor. His father's side Ulpia …
Roman emperor
On his entry to Rome, Trajan granted the plebs a direct gift of money. The traditional donative to the troops, however, was reduced by half. There remained the issue of the strained relations between the emperor and the Senate, especially after the supposed bloodiness that had marked Domitian's reign and his dealings with the Curia. By feigning reluctance to hold power, Trajan was a…
Death and succession
Early in 117, Trajan grew ill and set sail for Italy. His health declined throughout the spring and summer of 117, possibly acknowledged to the public by the display of a bronze portrait-bust at the public baths of Ancyra, showing an aged and emaciated man, though the identification with Trajan is disputed. He reached Selinus, where he suddenly died, probably on 11 August and apparently from edema. Trajan in person could have lawfully nominated Hadrian as his successor, but Di…
Legacy
Ancient sources on Trajan's personality and accomplishments are unanimously positive. Pliny the Younger, for example, celebrates Trajan in his panegyric as a wise and just emperor and a moral man. Cassius Dio added that he always remained dignified and fair. A third-century emperor, Decius, even received from the Senate the name Trajan as a decoration. After the setbacks of the third cen…
See also
• Felicior Augusto, melior Traiano
• Justice of Trajan
• Trajanic art