Emperor Trajan

The  book is about 10 of the greatest Roman emperors, starting with Augustus Caesar and ending with the emperor who led to the collapse. I wanted to read about Rome because I loved visiting Italy and learning about Italian history, especially the Roman Republic/Empire. The Roman Empire has a slight relevance to Catholicism, in particular, which is very enlightening because that’s the religion I was brought up in.

Trajan became emperor right after the Roman Empire had just come back from multiple subpar emperors and succession fights. Many Roman emperors fell one after the other because many of them were lacking a particular skill or trait. Trajan supported Christians and other Pagans as well, encouraging them to do better work. Trajan and Nerva were not subtle; he was viewed as a demigod, living up to one god parent.

Trajan became emperor in 99 AD and was much more qualified than the other emperors who preceded him. Trajan initiated hospitality toward the people he worked with. He lavished resources on games and races. Trajan had a passion for working with the soldiers and being a soldier. He had a gift for friendship and was closest to his liaison, Agrippa. In 98, Trajan did not have children, but he had a large family. His art was presented to Trajan’s women, and they were regal and austere. The official art that Trajan’s women had was designed as sculptures and their busts.

In 112, Trajan asked the Senate to honor his rule, not Rome, and achieved the largest amount of Roman women. He served with moral integrity and established a foundation for towns and major craft guilds. He went to Trajan’s sister, a prominent local woman. The public image of Trajan was not subtle; he was a demigod and was representative of the gods. He claimed to be a lord and master, unlike Trajan and Nerva. He selflessly had a symbol of virtue.

Trajan worked with the Christians from 110–113, with his correspondence during that period for the Christian minority. He was free and a slave, receiving a series of denunciations, and he supported the Pagans. The Romans worked on their own religion for the time they were sponsored, and they had prosperity in the Romans’ eyes. They were innocent and explained to them how to prove their innocence. Trajan worked with Christians and Pagans, supporting both of their religions and being tolerant of other religions—a trait that Genghis Khan would adopt shortly after Trajan’s rule. Roman women created fashionable art and sculptures of themselves. The Christian minority created prosperity in their eyes.

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