# Identifications & Discussion Questions 2.1.1-5

Imperialisms, Ancient and Modern, Identifications & Discussion Questions, 2.1.1 to 2.1.5. Latin.

Canonical: https://interlinea.aeterna-institute.org/library/latin/imperialisms-ancient-and-modern/identifications-discussion-questions-5/2.1.1

Trajan (53-117 A.D.) Marcus Ulpius Traianus Roman emperor (AD 98-117), the first to be born outside Italy. He sought to extend the boundaries of the empire to the east (notably in Dacia, Arabia, Armenia, and Mesopotamia), undertook a vast building program, and enlarged social welfare. Origins and early career. Marcus Ulpius Traianus was born in the Roman province of Baetica, southern Spain. Although his ancestors, whether or not original settlers, were undoubtedly Roman, or at least Italian, they may well have intermarried with natives. While his family was probably well-to-do and prominent in Baetica, his father was the first to have a career in the imperial service. He became a provincial governor and in 67-68 commander of a legion in the war the future emperor Vespasian was conducting against the Jews. In 70, Vespasian, by then emperor, rewarded him with a consulship and a few years later enrolled him among the patricians, Rome's most aristocratic group within the senatorial class. Finally, he became governor, successively, of Syria and Asia. Although there is little documentation of Trajan's early life, presumably the future emperor grew up either in Rome or in various military headquarters with his father. He served 10 years as a legionary staff tribune. In this capacity he was in Syria while his father was governor, probably in 75. He then held the traditional magistracies through the praetorship, which qualified him for command of a legion in Spain in 89. Ordered to take his troops to the Rhine River to aid in quelling a revolt against the emperor Domitian by the governor of Upper Germany, Trajan probably arrived after the revolt had already been suppressed by the governor of Lower Germany. Trajan clearly enjoyed the favour of Domitian, who in 91 allowed him to hold one of the two consulships, which, even under the empire, remained most prestigious offices.

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Imperialisms, Ancient and Modern, Identifications & Discussion Questions. Text: The Latin Library (thelatinlibrary.com), used with permission. Changes: HTML markup removed and the text divided into reading sections by Interlinea.
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