The New International Encyclopædia/Trajan

TRA'JAN (Marcus Ulpiis Traianus) (a.d. 51-117). A Roman Emperor (a.d. 98–117). He was born at Italica, near Seville, in Spain. He was descended from a family which was probably of Roman origin, and was early trained to arms, becoming a leader in the Parthian and German campaigns, during the reigns of Titus and Domitian. He was rewarded for his services by promotion to the offices of prætor (a.d. 85) and consul (a.d. 91), and was adopted (a.d. 97) by Nerva (q.v.) as his colleague and successor. Trajan became sole ruler in January of the following year, and celebrated the event of his accession by largesses to the soldiers, and to Roman citizens and their children. He also made provision out of the Imperial treasury for the maintenance of the children of poor freemen in Rome and other Italian towns. In a.d. 101 Trajan set out on his first campaign against the Dacians, who had exacted tribute from Rome since Domitian's time. The struggle was long and destructive, but the Romans at last gained a decisive superiority, and in a subsequent campaign (104 to 105) completely subdued their opponents, whose country thenceforth became the Roman province of Dacia, and was secured by partial colonization. This conquest, the first since the death of Augustus, was celebrated, on Trajan's return to Rome, by a triumph, and by games on a most extensive scale, which continued for four months. The Column of Trajan was erected to commemorate this victory. In 106 Trajan again went to the east. Landing in Syria, he marched northward, receiving on his way the submission of numerous princes, and conquered Armenia, which he made a province. The record of the events of the next seven years of Trajan's reign is extremely defective, the few notices in Dion Cassius and others being insufficient for the construction of a consecutive narrative. In 115 he again set out from Syria, directing his march this time against the Parthian Empire. He took Ctesiphon almost without a struggle, and, descending the Tigris, subdued the tribes on both banks, being the first and only Roman general who navigated the Persian Gulf. On his return he found that Mesopotamia, North Syria, and Arabia required to be subdued again. This being done, and Parthia again conquered, Trajan, sinking under a combination of dropsy and paralysis, attempted to reach Italy, but died at Selinus, in Cilicia.

Though most of Trajan's reign was spent in the gratification of his warlike ambition, the internal administration was far from neglected; the administration of justice was vigorous and impartial; that of finance was equally acceptable; informers (delatores) were severely punished, and peculating governors of provinces rigorously prosecuted. The improvement and beautifying of Rome was carried on; the Empire was traversed in all directions by new military routes, canals and bridges were constructed, new towns built, the Via Appia was restored, the Pontine Marshes partially drained, the magnificent 'Forum Traiani' erected, and the harbor of Centum Cellæ (Civita Vecchia) constructed. During Trajan's reign a persecution of the Christians, of a mild character, took place.