Trajanus

Trajanus, in Latin Imperator Caesar Marcus Ulpius Traianus Augustus, commonly known as Trajan, was a Roman emperor who reigned from 98 to 117 CE. Born in 53 CE in Italica, Hispania, he was a member of the Ulpia gens and built his career in the Roman army and provincial administration before being adopted by Emperor Nerva as heir in 97 CE. He succeeded Nerva in 98 and quickly established a reputation for military prowess, administrative ability, and public works.

Trajan pursued expansive military campaigns that shaped the empire’s boundaries. He waged the Dacian Wars (101–102 and 105–106), resulting in the conquest and absorption of Dacia as a Roman province. He also conducted campaigns beyond the Danube and, during the 114–117 war against Parthia, achieved temporary gains that included Armenia and Mesopotamia, reflecting his aim to stretch Roman influence to a greater frontier.

In administration, Trajan sought to consolidate and stabilize provincial governance and the imperial civil service. He championed large-scale public works in Rome, including the Forum of Trajan, Trajan’s Column, and the Markets of Trajan, which reinforced imperial authority and urban grandeur. He also supported welfare measures such as the alimenta, a program intended to assist orphans and poor children in Italy.

Trajan died in 117 CE while on a campaign in the East. He was succeeded by his adopted son Hadrian. Trajan is often regarded as one of Rome’s greatest emperors, marking the empire’s peak in territorial extent and leaving a legacy of monumental construction and administrative efficiency.