The first emperor from the provinces, Trajan entered history as the best ruler of Rome. A commander who crushed Dacia; a builder who erected a forum in his own name; the Great Circus—almost twice the size of the largest contemporary stadium. Trajan always relied on common sense mixed with Stoic philosophy. He knew how to live, giving life an unknown and spicy flavor. After his death, he was deified.
The golden age of Roman history is, to a large extent, the age of Trajan.