Trajan Emperor of Rome Essay Sample

Trajan was a Roman emperor from 98 to 177 AD. He was the first Roman emperor to not be born in Rome. Trajan was born in Spain and served in the military in his early career. He was a general in the army under Domitian and a governor of Upper Germany when he was adopted by Nerva, the Roman emperor at the time. Nerva had no children eligible for the throne, so he adopted Trajan because of his accomplishments. This was a common process for emperors without blood heir to the throne so they could keep their influence going through other people. Trajan took over the throne a year after his adoption due to the death of Nerva. Trajan was a good emperor for Rome because of his military accomplishments, civil projects, and his fairness to the people of Rome.

Trajan proved successful in his military career, helping him to gain popularity from the people of Rome. Trajan was involved in two main military campaigns in his time as the emperor of Rome. The first was the wars against Dacia and its king, Decebalus. The former Roman emperor Domitian, had established a policy of peace with Dacia, and it was supported through Nerva’s rule, (the emperor before Trajan) but Trajan found this policy unsatisfactory, so he decided to wage war on Dacia. Eventually, after meeting much resistance, the Roman Army prevailed and Dacia became a separate province of Rome. Trajan renewed war for a second time on possibly false grounds that Decebalus broke the rules of the treaty that was established after the first war. Trajan and the Roman Army were victorious a second time against the weakened Dacian’s. Decebalus committed suicide rather than facing capture and Dacia became a Roman territory. To prevent an uprising of the leftover Dacian people, Trajan forced millions of Dacian people to leave and filled the land with Roman colonists. The second and last military campaign of Trajan’s rule was against Parthia. The land between Rome and Parthia was a neutral ground called Armenia with a neutral ruler, but when the Parthians placed an unacceptable ruler on the Armenian throne, Trajan took action and invaded Armenia, adding it to Roman controlled land. Trajan and the Roman Army then continued into Parthia, taking over cities such as Babylon, Seleucia, and Mesopotamia. Trajan fell ill on his return from this conquest, dying in the city of Selinus, to be later named Trajanopolis. Trajan’s two military campaigns expanded the borders to the largest land area that they ever were and they ever would be. This gained the trust of the civilians and the Roman Army. Trajan did not get so caught up in military conquests that he forgot about everyone else such as most other Roman emperors did, he led his troops on foot and gained many resources for Rome through his conquests. Trajan’s two military campaigns expanded the borders to the largest land area that they ever were and they ever would be. This gained the trust of the civilians and the Roman Army. Trajan did not get so caught up in military conquests that he forgot about everyone else such as most other Roman emperors did, he led his troops on foot and gained many resources for Rome through his conquests. 

Trajan started many civil projects for the benefit of the people and the city of Rome. After the defeat of Dacia and the Dacian Army, a Dacian traitor told Trajan where to find Decebalus’ treasure. Trajan seized the treasure and brought it back to Rome. Trajan almost immediately put the money to use by starting three large building projects. One of these projects was called Trajan’s column. This was a one-hundred foot tall stone column with a statue of Trajan at the top. All along the base of the column were engravings of scenes from the Dacian wars showing Trajan and the Roman Army coming out victorious. This column is still standing today and is one of the only monuments to survive the fall of Rome. The second big project was Trajan’s Forum. This was a huge building used as a center for religion, politics, and commerce. Inside Trajan’s Forum was the Basilica Ulpias. The Basilica Ulpia had no specific purpose except to remind the people of their great emperor Trajan and to add to the beauty of the Forum. Trajan also completed many smaller projects that had just as much impact. Some of these projects were constructing aqueducts, public baths, and extending the heavily used Port of Ostria. Trajan also improved the condition of the dilapidated road system in Rome for easier travel and trade. These civil projects pleased the people of Rome, helping Trajan by gaining trust and getting support from high ranking people as well as the lower class Plebeians. Trajan was considered one of the five “good emperors” for Rome because of these building projects and also his fairness to the people of Rome. 

Trajan ruled fairly and justly and connected with the people, boosting his popularity with the people. When Trajan went on his military campaigns, part of his success was due to his leadership style. The Roman Army trusted Trajan because previous emperors sat in the safety of Rome or at the back of the legions while conquering a territory, but Trajan led his army on foot while they had to walk, so he got the respect and the will to fight for him from the soldiers. When Trajan first took over as emperor, he undid most of Domitian’s harmful deeds. These included rebuilding and cleaning public areas, freeing wrongly imprisoned prisoners, and recalling deserving exiles. Trajan, unlike many emperors of that time, kept good relations with the Senate and the people. The Senate was neglected and biased for making decisions under some previous emperors, but Trajan did not interfere with the election processes and listened to some of the Senate’s suggestions. Trajan used the money obtained from the Dacian Wars for purposes that benefited the people of Rome rather than only using it for himself. An example of this was Trajan’s Forum. Trajan was very popular because of his thoughtfulness of the people that was unlike many other recent emperors. The uncorrupted Senate and putting money towards civil projects gained support from the people of Rome, making him a fair emperor in the eyes of the people. Fairness was an important characteristic for a good emperor, and was one of Trajan’s most important qualities. 

Trajan was a great emperor for Rome because he gained resources and land through his militaristic ability, his beautification of Rome through civilized building projects, and his justice and equality to all of the people of Rome. The Dacian Wars and the Parthian Wars brought Rome more wealth and power with more land to spread out onto, and Trajan was the emperor that led the army into and out of these wars, showing his military tactical and practical ability. With the resources gained from these wars, Trajan focused on the economy, completing many building projects that improved the city and the people’s happiness. These events led people to think that Trajan was very fair and had a good sense of justice. This helped him keep good relations with the people and the Senate. Trajan exceeded all of the expectations for a good emperor at the time, and helped Rome along in its time of peace and prosperity.