Every day is a school day!

Marcus Ulpius Trajanus - AD52 to AD117 - is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman emperors. Under his leadership the Empire reached its greatest extent and Romans prospered.

ORIGINS
Born in Spain, Marcus Ulpius Trajanus came from an aristocratic Roman family. His father had been a general, governor of major provinces and later, a senator. Trajan gained his first military post in Syria while his father was governor there.

GENERAL
Trajan became commander of a legion - the seventh - soon after AD85. He became involved in imperial politics when he led his troops to suppress a revolt in Germany against Emperor Domitian.

NERVA
Domitian's successor as emperor was Nerva. Nerva bolstered his support by nominating Trajan, respected in the army, as his heir. On Nerva's death in AD98, Trajan became emperor. He spent time securing the support of legions in Germany before travelling to Rome.

EMPEROR
Unlike many predecessors, Trajan worked closely with the Senate, the Empire's governing council, ensuring their support for his actions. His policies were also popular with the Romans who called him 'optimus' (the best).

DACIA
Trajan saw a route to greatness by attacking Dacia, a troublesome semi-independent kingdom (now modern Romania), which had defeated a Roman army in AD87. Trajan led up to 11 legions against the Dacian king Decebalus, which culminated in Dacia being destroyed and incorporated as a province of the empire in AD106. Trajan ordered a victory celebration for 123 days.

TRAJAN'S COLUMN
Trajan's great monument was his column in Rome under which his ashes are buried. 30m high, it depicts his victorious campaigns in Dacia carved in spiralling relief towards the top. It survives to this day.

PARTHIAN EMPIRE
In AD114, Trajan went to war against the Parthian Empire in Mesopotamia. After several victories, he expanded the Roman Empire to the Persian Gulf. However, revolts within conquered lands meant he quickly lost many gains. He died in AD117, while still fighting, of a stroke.

THE MAN AND HIS LEGACY
Admired by contemporaries for his integrity, humility and sense of public duty. He was succeeded by Hadrian (his adopted son) who abandoned much of the land that Trajan had gained. Hadrian's great wall in northern Britain was based on an idea proposed originally by Trajan.


The photo, is of a statue situated close to the Tower of London, near to where I work.