Introduction

If trajan died after his first decade in office, he probably would have been viewed by history as a highly successful emperor. The collapse of the flavians was not accompanied by a destructive civil war. For seven undisturbed years after he returned from dacia, the great general ruled an empire at peace. So what does a vigorous man of action do when there are no wars to fight? Apparently he does everything in his power to enhance the material lives of the citizens rules.