v55_0144 - TRAJANUS Dupondius, (MB, Æ 26)

TRAJANUS

(27/10/97-8/08/117)

Augustus

Trajan was born on September 18, 53 in Italica, near Seville in Spain, like his pupil Hadrian. He belongs to a family of settlers settled in Spain. After a brilliant military career under the Flavians, he was consul in 91 and legate of Germania Superior when he was adopted by Nerva in 97 to succeed him. After the death of the latter, he becomes august. His reign will be devoted to numerous military campaigns against the Germans on the Rhine limes, which earned him the title of Germanicus. Then, he led two Dacian wars against Decebalus which ended with the annexation of Dacia. Trajan prepares a campaign against the Parthians, the turbulent and powerful neighbors to the east. He left Rome for the East and established his headquarters in Antioch before invading the Parthian kingdom. He will go as far as Ctesiphon (Seleucia on the Tigris). When he died on August 8, 117, the Empire was at its peak and experienced its greatest territorial expansion..