Category:Trajan (subject)
Trajan was a Roman Emperor, from 98 to 117 CE.
- This page is edited by Samuele Rocca, Israel
Overview
Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus, succeeded to Nerva in 98 CE, and ruled till 117 CE. Trajan, the second of the adopted emperors, known as optimus princes was considered by his contemporaries as the most successful Roman emperor. Under his rule, the Roman Empire reached its greatest territorial extent. Trajan’s reign is chiefly known for his quite successful foreign policy, he annexed in 106 CE the Nabatean kingdom as the Province of Arabia, he waged two successful wars which resulted in the conquest of Dacia in 107 CE, The Parthian War, albeit less successful, ended with the creation of new provinces in the East. His institution of alimenta in Italy, and the erection of many public monuments, as his Forum, or his baths, characterized his rule.
Early Career
Trajan was born in the city of Italica in 53 CE in the province of Hispania Baetica. His father Marcus Ulpius Trajanus took part in the Jewish War under Vespasian and Titus, as the legatus of the Legio X Fretensis. In 76-77 CE he was appointed Governor of Syria, Legatus pro praetore Syriae. Trajan had a sister Marciana. Trajan started his cursus homorum as tribunus legionis in 76-77 in Syria, under the command of his father. He was appointed consul under Domitian in 91 CE. He took part in the Germanic wars of Domitian, and at the accession of Nerva in 96 CE, he was in command of the Rhine frontier. In 97 CE, the childless Nerva, unpopular with the army, appointed Trajan as his adoptive son and successor.
Imperial Succession
Trajan reign was characterized by foreign wars that brought the Roman Empire to its greatest extension. The First Dacian War against Decebalus, waged between 101-102 CE, was only a partial success. Although Trajan defeated the Dacians at Tapae, Trajan had to face next year a counter attack of Decebalus, which however resulted in a failutre for the Dacians. King Decebalus submitted, and Trajan, back to Rome received the title Dacicius Maximus. Between 105-107 CE, Trajan waged the Second Dacian War. The war was concluded with the conquest of Sarmingetusa, the Dacian capital, and the suicide of Decebalus. Dacia was annexed as a province and Trajan erected a colony, Colonia Ulpia Traiana Augusta Dacica Sarmizegetusa on the site of the Dacian urban agglomeration. In 107 CE, with the death of the last Nabataean King, Trajan annexed his kingdom, and created the province of Arabia Petraea, under the governorship of Sextus Florentinus. Two legions, the Legio III Cyrenaica and the Legio VI Ferrata, were stationed at Bostra and at Petra, the former capital of the Nabataean kingdom. The conquest of the Nabatean kingdom resulted in the construction of the Via Nova Traiana, which extended down the center of the province from Bostra to Aqaba. In 113 CE, Trajan started the Parthian War, as consequence of the enthronement of a Parthian candidate on the throne of Armenia. The choice of the Armenian king was considered a prerogative of the Roman Empire. In 115 CE the Roman army conquered northern Mesopotamia, including the cities of Nisibis and Batnae. The next year, in 116 CE, Trajan began to organize the new province of Mesopotamia. Then Trajan continued the push in southern Mesoptamia, conquering Adiabene, Babylon, Seleucia, and finally the Parthian capital, Ctesiphon. Trajan thus created two further provinces, Babylonia, and [Assyria]], which covered the territory of the reign of Adiabene. Trajan then formally deposed the Parthian king Osroes I and put his own candidate Parthamaspates on the throne. However his failing health and a revolt of the Jews first in the Parthian territories conquered by Trajan, and then in Cyrenaica, Egypt, and Cyprus, obliged Trajan to withdraw. The ailing Trajan chose Lusius Quietus, the Senatorial governor of Judaea to command the army, and probably he appointed Hadrian as his successor, possibly under the influence of his wife Plotina. After Trajan’s death, Hadrian, his successor, had to relinquish most of the conquests made by Trajan during the Parthian War. In Italy, Trajan’rule was characteized by the institution of the alimenta. The alimenta were permanent loans from the fiscus to Italic cities or municipia. Thus out of their own revenue, the various municipia should provide maintenance allowances for the children of needy families in their territories. Later Hadrian instituted the praefectus alimentorum to supervise the treasury grants. The institution of alimenta was celebrated on the Beneventum Arch. In Rome, Trajan building policy was characterized by the erection of the huge Forum of Trajan and the related markets, and the gigantic Thermae of Trajan, not so far away. Marcus Ulpius Nerva Trajanus was indeed bestowed by the Senate the title of optimus princeps in 114 C.E.
Trajan and the Jews
For the Jews living in the Roman Empire, Trajan’s reign was probably disastrous. As Trajan's army advanced victoriously through Mesopotamia, the Jews, faithful subjects of the Parthians, rebelled attacking the small garrisons left behind. The insurrection swiftly spread to the recently conquered provinces. Cities with substantial Jewish populations, Nisibis, Edessa, Seleucia, and Arbela, were conquered by the rebels. Moreover, between 115 and 117 C.E. the Jewish communities of Cyrenaica, Egypt and Cyprus revolted. The revolt begun in Cyrenaica under the leadership of a certain Lukuas or Andreas, who according to Eusebius, called himself king of the Jews. The Jewish army, destroyed Cyrene and moved towards Egypt, where the rebellion spread between the Jews living there. The city of Alexandria was probably conquered, and the Roman governor, Marcus Rutilius Lupus, had to retire. It seems that the revolt extended to Cyprus. Trajan sent reinforcement under the leadership of the praefectus praetorio Quintus Marcius Turbo. The repression of the revolt, under the leadership of the consular Lusius Quietus, continued till the beginning of Hadrian reign. The result was that Cyrenaica and Egypt, mainly the countryside, were completely ravaged. On the other side, the local Jewish communities were completely wiped out. It is not clear what happened in Judaea, where Rabbinic literature mention two leaders, Julian and Pappus, who were executed during Trajan’s reign.
Trajan in ancient sources
- Trajan (sources) -- survey of ancient sources
Trajan in literature & the arts
- Trajan (arts) -- survey of fictional works
Trajan in scholarship
- Trajan (research) -- survey of scholarly works
Related categories
External links
Pages in category "Trajan (subject)"
The following 2 pages are in this category, out of 2 total.