Trajan: Optimus Princeps

352 Pages·1997·7.32 MB·english

by  Julian Bennett

TRAJAN Optimus Princeps
TRAJAN OPTIMUS PRINCEPS
A Life and Times
Julian Bennett
London and New York
First published 1997
by Routledge
11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2005.
“To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s collection of
thousands of eBooks please go to www.eBookstore.tandf.co.uk.”
© 1997 Julian Bennett
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be
reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by
any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known
or hereafter invented, including photocopying and
recording, or in any information storage or retrieval
system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data
Bennett, Julian.
Trajan, optimus princeps: a life and times/Julian Bennett.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Trajan, Emperor of Rome, 53–117.2. Rome—History—98–117.
3. Roman emperors—Biography. I. Title.
DG294.B46 1997
937’.07’092–dc20
96–31094
ISBN 0-203-36056-7 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0-203-37312-X (Adobe eReader Format)
ISBN 0-415-165245 (Print Edition)
CONTENTS
List of Figures and Maps vi
List of Plates vii
Outline of Significant Events viii
Preface and Acknowledgements xii
Prolegomenon xvi
CHAPTER I THE MAKING OF A NEW ARISTOCRACY 1
CHAPTER II THE RISE OF THE ULPII 12
CHAPTER III IMPERIAL EXPANSION AND CRISIS 28
CHAPTER IV DOMITIAN’S GENERAL, NERVA’S HEIR 43
CHAPTER V THE NEW RULER 54
CHAPTER VI A PUBLIC IDEOLOGY 64
CHAPTER VII THE INAUGURATION OF A NEW ERA 75
CHAPTER VIII DACICUS 87
CHAPTER IX OPTIMUS PRINCEPS 106
CHAPTER X LAW, FINANCE AND LITERATURE 120
CHAPTER XI PATER PATRIAE 140
CHAPTER XII ‘REDACTA IN FORMAM PROVINCIAE…’ 164
CHAPTER XIII PARTHICUS 186
CHAPTER XIV A PERFECT PRINCE? 208
APPENDIX DIO’S ACCOUNT OF THE DACIAN WARS 217
List of Abbreviations 222
Notes and References 226
v
Bibliography 277
Index of Personal Names 295
General Index 301
FIGURES AND MAPS
(BY MARGARET FINCH)
1 The Roman empire under Trajan xix
2 The Dacian Wars 94
3 Ostia 143
4 Restored plan of Trajan’s Baths 154
N=swimming pool
A=changing rooms
P=exercise courts
F=cold room
T=warm room
C=hot room
5 Restored plan of Trajan’s Forum 156
6 Trajan’s Markets 162
7 The Province of Dacia 168
8 Sarmizegethusa Ulpia 172
1=aedes Augustalium
2=forum
3=amphitheatre
4=temple of Aesculapius and Hygieia
5=temple of Liber Pater
6=temple of Nemesis
7=temple
8=temple
9=mithraeum
10=bath-house
9 The Province of Arabia 178
10 Bostra 184
1=‘forum’
2=baths
3=theatre
5=circus
6=Naumachia?
11 The Parthian War 197
PLATES
(BETWEEN PAGES 142 AND 143)
1A Trajan idealized; denarius of 98
1B Dacia Capta; denarius of 107
1C Trajan realized; denarius of 116
1D Fortuna Redux; denarius of 116
2A Idealized provincial bust of Trajan, from Ephesus
2B Idealized provincial bust of Trajan, from Aphrodisias
2C Trajan as Triumphator, statue from Perge
2D Trajan shortly before his death, bronze bust from Ankara
3 Dedication to Ti. Claudius Classicus, Ephesus
4 The ‘Burning of the Account Books’, Rome
5 Trajan’s Column, Rome
6A Trajan’s Column: the Battle of ‘Tapae’
6B Trajan’s Column: Apollodorus’ bridge at Drobeta
7 The reconstructed Tropaeum Traiani, Adamklissi
8A The Tropaeum Traiani: Trajan with auxiliary soldiers
8B The Tropaeum Traiani: a Dacian armed with a falx
9A Trajan’s harbour at Civitavecchia
9B Trajan’s Arch at Ancona
10A Caryatid head of Dacian pileatus from Trajan’s Forum
10B Caryatid head of Dacian comatus from Trajan’s Forum
11A Trajan in battle, the ‘Great Trajanic Frieze’, Rome
11B Trajan’s Markets, Rome
12A Milestone from the via Nova, now in Aqaba Museum
12B The Colonnaded Street, Petra
13A Trajan in Parthia, ivory frieze from Ephesus
13B Trajan in Parthia, ivory frieze from Ephesus
14A The Arch at Beneventum
14B The Dacian triumph on the Beneventum Arch
15A Trajan on the northern frontier, the Beneventum Arch
15B Trajan and northern barbarians, the Beneventum Arch
16A Trajan and the new provinces, the Beneventum Arch
16B Trajan and the army, the Beneventum Arch
OUTLINE OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS
Conjectured dates of attested events are indicated by italics.
ix