Trajan

Hello. My full name is Marcus Ulpius Traianus, but you can call me Trajan. I was born a very long time ago, on September 18th, 53 CE, in a city called Italica. This city was part of the mighty Roman Empire, in a province called Hispania, which you now know as the country of Spain. What was special about this is that I was the very first Roman emperor who wasn't born in Italy! My father was a well-respected soldier and politician in the empire. I watched him serve Rome with honor, and it inspired me greatly. From a young age, I knew I wanted to follow in his footsteps, so I joined the army as soon as I was old enough to serve.

Life in the Roman army was demanding, but it taught me everything about being a strong and fair leader. I served the empire in many different places, leading soldiers and learning how to make important decisions. Over the years, I rose through the military ranks, gaining respect from my fellow soldiers and from the leaders in Rome. Then, a moment came that changed my life forever. The emperor at the time was a wise, elderly man named Nerva. He did not have any children to take his place as ruler. In the year 97 CE, he made a surprising choice. He adopted me, a popular general, as his son and heir. It was a tremendous honor. When Nerva passed away peacefully in January of 98 CE, it became my duty to step forward and become the new emperor of the vast Roman Empire.

As emperor, my greatest goal was to help my people. I wanted to make sure that everyone, especially the children, had a chance for a better life. I created a special program called the 'alimenta,' which provided food and money for schooling to poor children all across Italy. I also wanted Rome itself to be a magnificent city for its citizens. I began many large building projects, including Trajan's Forum, which was a huge public square filled with shops, offices, and even libraries for everyone to enjoy. I also built a famous column, now called Trajan's Column, which has a story carved into the stone that winds all the way to the top. Because I worked so hard for the people, the Roman Senate gave me a very special title in 114 CE. They called me 'Optimus Princeps,' which means 'the best ruler.'

Being emperor also meant being the commander of Rome's armies. I led several important military campaigns to protect and expand our borders. Between the years 101 and 106 CE, we had successful campaigns in a land called Dacia. The great riches and resources we brought back to Rome from these victories were very important. They helped pay for all the new buildings, roads, and the 'alimenta' program that supported the children. Through these efforts, the Roman Empire grew to its largest size ever during my time as emperor. It became a vast and prosperous land, stretching farther than ever before.

After many years of ruling and leading the army, my health began to fail. I became ill while I was in the eastern part of the empire and passed away in the year 117 CE. I lived to be 63 years old. History remembers me as one of the 'Five Good Emperors' because I always tried to be fair and to improve the lives of Roman citizens. My work can still be seen today. If you ever visit Rome, you can still see the ruins of Trajan's Market and look up at my famous column, which still stands tall, reminding everyone of a time of great achievement for the Roman Empire.