Coins of Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus [Trajan]
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Of all of the Roman emperors, I am most intrigued by Trajan and
Hadrian. I selected Trajan as a focus of my Roman collection for several
reasons: 1. He takes a great portrait. The celators seem to have hit their
peak in this era with magnificently realistic engravings; 2. Trajan's
coinage has great variety and is relatively inexpensive except for the
sestertii; 3. Compared to many of the other megalamaniacs who ruled Rome,
he is one noble guy. Trajan was the son of Ulpius Traianus a Senator,
Consul, and Governor of Asia and Syria. He was born on September 18th
in 53 CE. His family originated in Tudor in Umbria, but his ancestors
migrated to Italica, Spain where he was born. He would eventually become
the first non-italian emperor of Rome. Trajan's mother was Marcia and He
had a sister, Ulpia Marciana, whose granddaughter married Hadrian. Trajan
married Pompeia Plotina. Coins of Trajan's family members are available,
but scarce. While his father was governing in Syria, Trajan gained a
tribuneship, his first position of major power.
Trajan advanced rapidly in the military obtaining the position
of Legate over the VII Gemini Legion in Hispania Tarraconensis. In 89,
during the rebellion of L. Antonius Saturninus, Domitian sent for him.
Trajan arrived in Rome shortly after the revolt had been quelled. Two
years later, he was granted a consulship, and then in 96, became governor
of Germania Superior. One year later, in 97, the emperor Nerva was
threatened with revolt by several of his Praetorian Guard. Several of the
commanding Praetorians mutinied against him, and humiliated him. In a sly
political move to negate the threat, Nerva adopted the popular Trajan.
Trajan's reputation as a good commander among the troops gave Nerva a
peaceful final year. During the year 98, Trajan was in Colonia
Agrippinensis, now Cologne. One night, as the story goes, he had a dream
that an old man in imperial garb, with a crown on his head, pressed the
seal of a signet ring on first the left side of his neck, then the right
side. This old man personified the Senate. Soon after this vision, his
young relative Hadrianus, a commander in his army, informed him of Nerva's
death and Trajan's imminent succesion. Trajan, who was gifted with an
acute political acumen as well as military genius, immediately penned a
letter to the Senate vowing that he would never kill nor disenfranchise a
good man.
His second move as emperor was to send for the Praetorians and
Casperius Aelianus who had been involved in the plot against Nerva. They
expected a promotion, but when they arrived, Trajan ordered their deaths.
The way Trajan inaugurated the new leader of the Praetorian guard gave
some insight into his character. As he presented the traditional sword to
the new commander [probably Attius Suburanus], he pronounced "Take this
sword, in order that, if I rule well, you may use it for me, but if ill,
against me." Trajan then walked back to Rome, in the manner of a private
citizen. He greeted the Senate, then strolled into the palace, entering it
as if it was just another house. This began a great age for Rome- the
reign of Optimus Princeps, Emperor Trajan, 98-117 AD. Trajan succeeded not
only in military affairs, but also in politics. In his oath of office he
swore that he would not
execute
a senator except when the Senate itself ordered it, and only after a fair
trial. His humility and respect for the senate prevented the political tug
of war that had resulted in bloodbaths among previous emperors. He kept
the Senate informed of his decisions, and, was one of the few rulers of
Rome that had a good relationship with the Senate from the beginning of
his career.
Other things he did for Rome included the lowering of taxes,
increasing the congiarium-that is, the free distribution of food, and
implementing the alimenta, a subsidy to the poor [it is interesting to
note that a similar welfare program had been instituted in China by the
emperor Wang Mang only 80 years prior.]. The Senate and the people had
such affection for Trajan that he often traveled throughout the city
without a bodyguard. The senate named him Optimus Princeps, in much the
same way Octavian has been declared "Augustus" [This title appears
frequently on his coins.].
In his later years, Trajan worked to expand the empire even
more. He led a successful campaign against Dacia with is celebrated on his
coins and In 114 he invaded Armenia. His armies carved a path through
Mesopotamia to the Parthian capitol of Ctesiphon in 115 and declared
Mesopotamia part of the Empire. Not long afterwards Mesopotamia revolted.
He eventually surpressed the uprising, but at high cost. At the siege of
Hatra, Trajan grew ill and never fully recovered. Next, Jews in Cyprus,
Egypt, and Judaea rebelled. Trajan's armies suppressed these as well, and
Trajan finally departed from the East in 117. In Cilicia (in modern
Turkey), he died of a stroke. Trajan had adopted his relative Hadrian who
was raised to emperor upon his death.
.
The Emperor With Many Faces
Many of the coins of Trajan feature a marvelous heroic and realistic bust.
However, when Trajan was raised to emperor the mints were faced with a
quandry as they had no official portraits to copy for their engraving.
Trajan complicated the issue by staying on the frontier with his troops a
full year before returning to Rome. Thus, many of the early coins minted
during his first consulship [COS II, 97-99 CE] bear images that were the
best guesses of the celators. Often the images have a distinctive Nerva
look.
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