Plin. Pan. 4. His son, when but a youth, bore him company on the Euphrates and the Rhine, and gained great reputation in arms when scarcely past the tender years of life. He inured himself to fatigue and hardships, making long marches on foot, like the meanest soldier, familiarizing himself, by constant practice, with every military exercise, and assiduously endeavouring to acquire the superior qualifications requisite in a man destined to command armies. He was popular and affable, but always with a becoming dignity. The soldiers loved, and his equals esteemed him. He merited by that means the honours' to which his birth entitled him, and was made consul in ordinary in Domitian's reign. His consulship being ended, he seems to have retired to Spain, for it was from thence that Domitian sent for him, to put him at the head of the legions in Lower Germany. In that high post, one of the most important the empire could bestow, he continued to behave just as he had done before when no more than tribune; performing his exercises as usual, subjecting himself to the fatigues of war, and being affable to all, without prejudice to his authority. Such were the qualifications which recommended him to Nerva, to whom, as I before observed, he was no way related, nor was he even intimate or familiar with him. Trajan was a handsome man, tall, well made, and strong; his constitution hale and robust; his features noble and majestic; his years mature, but free from all infirmities of old age, though he wore the venerable marks of it in his grey hairs; he was then turned of forty. An advantage gained by the Roman arms in Pannonia gave Nerva an opportunity to make known. the resolution which his love for his country had induced him to take. Adding the name of Germanicus to his own on that occasion, he ascended the capitol to offer up to Jupiter the branch of lau rel that was sent him as a token of victory, and in presence presence of the whole multitude assembled there, declared his adoption of Trajan. From thence returning to the senate, he shared all his prerogatives with his adopted son, giving him the titles of Cæsar, Germanicus, and Emperor, together with part of the power of tribune; so that, in fact, it was rather a colleague than a successor that he chose. This election was a very extraordinary and perfect instance of disinterestedness on both sides. Nerva's sole view in it was the public welfare, and Trajan was so far from soliciting the highest post the world afforded, that he was quite ignorant of what was doing at Rome, and found himself at once declared the emperor's son and partner in his power, without his having so much as thought of it. He was at Cologne when he received the news of his adoption; and the greatest pleasure it gave him was, that it would enable him to correct the evils which had rendered it necessary. His bare name put an immediate stop to the sedition, and restored tranquillity in Rome; his vigour and resolution soon completed the work, and revenged the insulted majesty of empire. Nerva himself requested that vengeance from him by a letter written with his own hand, wherein he made use of a line of Homer, taken out of Chryses's prayer to Apollo : "Let the Greeks expatiate by your darts the tears they have made ine shed." Trajan ordered Casperius Ælianus, and the rest of the ringleaders of the sedition, to attend him, and rid the state of them, by putting some to death, and banishing others. death. Trajan's adoption was the last remarkable event Nerva's in Nerva's reign. He did not indeed abdicate the empire, but committed the care of all affairs to the worthy successor he had made choice of, devoting the remainder of his days to the repose and quiet which 2 Τίσειαν Δαναοὶ ἐμὰ δάκρυα σοῖσι βέλεσσιν. Ηom. Il. i. 42. Tillem. which his age and infirmities required. He lived in that manner three months, at the end of which, imprudently giving way to a sudden start of passion against Regulus, who was but too capable of provoking him, a fever ensued, and he died towards the end of January, in his fourth consulship, Trajan, whose second it was, being then his colleague. He reigned somewhat more than sixteen months, and lived seventy-two years. He was the first emperor of foreign extraction. His family was originally of Crete, but naturalized Roman, at least from the time of his great-grandfather, who was a favourite with Augustus. He was born at Narni in Umbria. He was the son, grandson, and great-grandson of consuls, and was twice consul himself before he was made emperor. He was fond of poetry, and excelled in it, if what Martial says of him be true. This was probably the reason why Nero took a liking to him, and granted him the ornaments of triumph when he was only pretor elect. He is said to have been too much addicted to wine; nor are his morals quite untainted, as we before observed in speaking of the corruption that prevailed in the beginning of Domitian's reign. ANNALS ANNALS OF THE REIGN OF TRAJAN. NERVA AUGUSTUS IV. A. R. 849. TRAJANUS CAESAR II. Trajan receives, at Cologne, the news of Nerva's death, and is proclaimed Augustus. He remains in Germany all this year. A. CORNELIUS PALMA. Trajan makes his entry into Rome on foot, without any show. He wins the hearts of all by the mildness, moderation, and wisdom of his government. He receives the title of Father of his Country; that of Optimus, or Best, is likewise decreed him, but not generally made use of till several years after. On his accepting a third consulship, he submits to all the ceremonial observed by private men on that occasion. TRAJANUS AUGUSTUS III. M. JULIUS FRONTO III. Trajan, being consul, swears to observe the laws. He expresses the utmost deference for the senate, the members of which show their grateful sense of it by the highest acclamations of praise. The affair of Marius Priscus. The affair of Classicus. A. C. 98. A. R. 850 A. C. 99. A. R. 851. A. C. 100. A. R. 852. A. C. 101. A. R. 853. A. C. 102. A. R. 854. A. C. 103. Trajan's panegyric pronounced by Pliny the consul in September. Adrian married to Sabina, daughter of Trajan's nephew. TRAJANUS AUGUSTUS IV. SEX. ARTICULEIUS PATUS. Adrian questor to the emperor. The custom of choosing magistrates by ballot introduced by the senate. War with the Dacians. Decebalus, their king, forced to submit to very hard terms. Peace is granted him, and Trajan makes a triumphant entry into Rome this year, or the year following. Adrian accompanied Trajan in this war. Lusius Quietus had a considerable command in it, and distinguished himself greatly. SURANUS. L. LICINIUS SURA. The death of Frontinus. Pliny succeeds him in the dignity of augur. Gymnastic games abolished at Vienne. Revival of the old ordinances, by which advocates were forbidden to receive money from their clients. Trajan's ordinances against bribery and corruption, and to disqualify all such as had not land or houses in Italy, to the amount of at least one third of what they were worth, from being candidates for offices and employments under the government. TRAJANUS AUGUSTUS V, L. MAXIMUS. The port of Centum-Cellæ, now Civita Vecchia, built by Trajan. Causes |