Trajan: Optimus Princeps 

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One shall stand, one shall fall. *ROMANS, ROLL OUT!!*

Another one! These roman emperor vids are the most interesting.

I own a silver denarius minted during Trajan's reign and bearing his face.

They called him Optimus Prime?!? And he was born in Metallica!?! Duuuuuuuude......

video topic suggestion: the praetorian guard

Glad to see a report on Trajan. The thumbnail statue's hair had him looking like the fifth Beatle though. John, Paul, George, Ringo and Tray.

I’ve been waiting for this one. Also for Marcus Aurelius.

He’s a well liked figure here in Romania. We have a lot of squares, streets, markets etc named after him and some even after Nerva. Hell Trajan himself is mentioned in our national anthem.

I thought the title said Optimus Prime for a sec.

To this day, I have no idea why Trajan is overlooked. Any historian will tell you he was the best Roman ruler. When we think of Roman leaders, we ought not to think of Caesar, but of Trajan.

1:47 This is a common misconception. The first Roman Emperor to be born outside of Italy was Claudius, not Trajan.

When discussing Domitian, it's important to remember that every new dynasty vilified the final emperor of the prior dynasty. It helped legitimise their own reign. Nero was easy to vilify because he was a monster, although revisionists would argue that he wasn't as blatantly evil as history would have us believe. Domitian was a different emperor in almost every way from Nero. Unlike his two dynastic predecessors he never indulged in nepotism. And unlike his immediate predecessor (Titus) he was fairly peaceful to the Jews. Which, when compared to Titus and Vespasian, isn't a difficult task. Nonetheless he allowed all people to follow whichever gods they wanted to, as long as they didn't interfere with the governance of the Empire. He ran things like a meritocracy, if you were good you progressed. Being rich or from a noble family didn't matter to Domitian, if you couldn't do your duty you got the boot. And that might be why he's seen as a bad emperor to this day. During the time period Domitian was emperor, the Senate was overflowing with rich men with regal surnames and lots of land. Beyond that they were little more than a relic of a long dead republic, and Domitian recognised this. He had the balls to take power away from the undeserving wealthy and strengthen the position of emperor. And when he was dead the Senate remembered that fact. They wrote history as we know it, and they got revenge on Domitian in this fashion, slandering him after he had died. His reign lasted 15 years, which is an eternity for a Roman Emperor. Clearly the people didn't have a problem with him. But they didn't write Roman history, the senators did...

thank you for all of these....its become my morning ritual right before logging in to work. my 8 year old son started listening too. could you do some more ancient egyptians?? he is learning about that in school. thanks!

Trajan is mad at me because I'm not expanding my civ. I expand, Trajan is mad at me for building a city next to his empire.

so which transformer was he?

I'm glad that you have decided to make a video about Trajan. He's an important part of our history. Also, after the Siege of Sarmisegetuza ended in a decisive Roman victory followed by Decebal's suicide, a confidant of the king, Bicilis, led the Romans to the king's hidden treasure. According to Jerome Carpocino, a French historian and author, the Romans found 165.5 tones of gold and 331 tones of silver. Now those numbers can be sightly exaggerated but there's no doubt that Dacia did have a huge gold deposit.

Oh wow, a good Roman emperor... You don't see that often!

"He left his troops in charge of his Generals", anyone else hear that?

Hadrian, the practical emperor who favored Greek culture is my personal favorite. He embodied both the best and worst parts of imperial rule with his domestic achievements and authoritarian repression against opponent. He’d make an excellent follow up to Trajan, and a fitting one due to his controversial succession of Trajan.

You know, Trajan is a name that needs to come back into common use...

Love these. I hope you do Galla Placidia some day. Daughter of an emperor Theodosius the Great), step-sister of two emperors (Arcadius & Honorius), wife of an emperor (Constantius III) and mother of an emperor (Valentinian III), she was the last really noteworthy empress in the West. She personally helped defend the city of Rome against Alaric's Visigoths, was taken hostage by them when it fell, and during a long march through Gaul ended up marrying Alaric's brother in an elaborate ceremony. She had quite a life.

The Praetorian Guard would be a great video. I'd also love to see a video on the Hashshashin, the ancient Order of Assassins of Persia.

Much that once was is lost, for none now live who remember it. So many of the great works of Rome have been lost.

I've never seen so many noseless Romans in my life

Funny how Trajan, a man born, raised, and educated in Spain, was popular with the senate when you consider that *_"Trajan and Hadrian..recruited new senators, so that Spaniards made up about 25 per cent of the Senate."_* (According to Leonard A. Curchin)

19:05 'I'm getting too old for this cacat' -Trajan

*He surely liked to name things after him.* *Ah yes, **_Trajan's Rome_*

It’s him bois! It’s Trajan! Best Emperor, pogchamp in chat!

My last name is Trajanovic so I just had to look up the history behind the man himself

Please do more on Pretorian guards. Now that you gave us some insight, we need to know more. Oh and yes, do more on Roman (and Byzantine) Emperors. Thanks

Being both Italian American and Romanian American I thank you for this video! Great job!

Lol I saw this out of the corner of my eye in the feed list and read Optimus Prime. ... Wait a sec Can we get a video on Optimus Prime?

My man, Trajan!

This was so well done. Biographics is becoming a good serious history blog. The presentation, too. Some of the other good ones are lectures by professors and we all know they can sometimes not project interest very well. Trajan was lucky to die when he did. Rome could have never held Mesopotamia. It was really just a grand parade to the Gulf. Hadrian (equally interesting ) had to take all the abuse for abandoning the area and was never truly popular.

I love it when you guys do Rome stuff!

When the leader thinks he's a Trajan but is actually more of a Commodus....

0:24 Early life & Family 3:28 Snippets about previous Roman emperors (Domitian & Nerva) 9:06 Early days of reign 14:49 Improvements in Rome *Increasing Romam territories* 10:13 Dacian Empire (Includes regions of Oltenia, Transylvania & Banat. Mostly in current Romania, included parts of current Serbia & Hungary) 14:21 Nabatean Kingdom 16:03 Parthian Empire (campaign in Armenia in-between

His alternate mode was a cab-over diesel truck!

12:42 WE NEED AN EPISODE ON AURELIAN! GIVE US AN EMPEROR OF HUMBLE BEGINNINGS!

There should be a movie on the life of Trajan.

Very helpful and highly enjoyable! Thank you for the time you put into this!

Note: Trajan’s bridge was used for over 170 years. Also Trajan’s baths were far from the last public baths in Rome

Europe and Asia certainly have the richest History!! (Egypt as well) It's a wonder how so much remains!! 🛡️ 🗡️

I would LOVE to see more episodes about Ancient Rome and then men and woman who made it so great and terrible (often simultaneously) and above all FASCINATING!

Thank you very much for making this, and these videos on Roman Emperors. It's really helped me as a supplement to my studying and reading of scholarly works and is very well-presented. Thanks again.

Still want the Augustus video, just teasing me at this point. Also love this channel keep up the good work

What's all this BCE/CE nonsense? What happened to BC/AD?

Domitian is the reason for trajan's easy ride. The best emperor to have his name blackened

Trajan Pro is my favorite font and is used on 90% of movie posters :D

New topic: Decebal, the most terrifying enemy to Trajan

One of great achievement of Trjan it was build my city in noth africa, exactly in Algeria it's name is Timgad,He left a huge legacy behind him 🙏

Thank you In Croatia there is a saying “In emperor Trajan goat’s ears” Do you know why? I think it is a Slavic fairy/folk’s tale

Perfect timing! I just played as him in 'Civilization 6'!

Please do Augustus Next!!!

Here are some ideas George Carlin - The king of Sting James Madison - Father of the Constitution Barnum Brown - The Dinosaur Digger Ludwig Von Beethoven - Immortal Music Shaka Zulu - Zulu's Monarch

Important addition : biographer A. Everitt wrote in 2010 that he was not only a good soldier but that Trajanus had the remarkable hobby of climbing mountains, especially difficult rocks without any guidance or help. He wanted to be strong and coragious. In his spare time he liked to have sex with young men (yes MEN), even after his marriage with a woman. This marriage appeared to be a sham, and no children were produced. He probably was exclusively homosexual, as the biographer wrote.

It's ok to say "A.D."

2099: hey can we finally get that David Bowie video

i read Optimus Prime for a split second.

Can you make a video on Justinian?

Simon, do a video on the serial killer who was the real candy man deal corrl who was in Houston Tx

For better or for worse his actions made Romania what it is today including being the only latin land on the eastern european front. Even though it would be ruled by many thruought the centuries, Trajan's invasion and later settlement/intergration was taught as the genesis of the romanian people.

I was with you up until the end... I think it's well known that Trajan and Hadrian had a close relationship and that Hadrian was the hand picked successor well before death.

Y’all should do the greatest emperor, Aurelian.

Trajan: optimus prime

I like most of your videos, but the narrative seems very disorganized compared to others. Not a fan of this one.

If there's going to be a biopic of Trajan I think Ciarán Hinds should play him. No doubt about it. He's one of my favourite "supporting role" actors, like Peter Stormare, but I think he'd be able to do Trajan justice. Also, Biographics, when can we expect episodes about the African Roman emperors? As well as the Syrian Roman emperor Heliogabalus?

Romans, transform and roll out.

Yes, please do a video on the influence of the Praetorian Guard. Thanks!!!

Surprised Constantine doesn't have a Biography vid yet. Justinian and Aurelian also deserve one.

1:30 - Chapter 1 - Family & military life 3:50 - Chapter 2 - Domitian 7:40 - Mid roll ads 9:05 - Chapter 3 - Rise to the throne 10:15 - Chapter 4 - The dacian wars 14:20 - Chapter 5 - Work in rome 16:05 - Chapter 6 - The parthian war begins 18:25 - Chapter 7 - Mesopotamian campaign 19:55 - Chapter 8 - Death

Coincidentally watching this on Jan 27, 2022 on the day of his passing. RIP Trajan

One of my favourite roman emperors. Excellent work Simon If you do another roman emperor, may i reccomend emperor claudius (who was the emperor when trajan was born)?

I am Optimus Princeps and this is a video to all Romans....

I thought Claudius was the first Roman emperor born outside Italy.

Anyone else think that his enemy should have been Megatronis?

I'm very novice in learning about Roman history and never heard of him. Thank you.

My personal favorite Roman Emperor.

video suggestion: Rudolf Hess

1:50 Trajan will become the first roman emperor to be born outside of Italy. This is factually wrong. Claudius Was born in Lugdunum in Gaul Modern Day Lyon in France.

Ave Roman Aeterna! Good video Simon! My favorite emperor though was the successor of Trajan, i.e. Hadrian. I would love it if you did one on Hadrian and his lover Antinous, whom he deified after death in the Nile.

Optimus Princeps ☝️

I have difficulty with people's names today roman names i'm just like no my brain just won't do it

FLAVA FLAVIAN AND P. DIDIUS IN DA HOOUUSE!!

B.C. and A.D...not B.C.E and C.E . Enough of silly P.C.

"Few more minor conflicts followed.."... inaccurate: it was the Battle of Adamclisi. Trajan build a monument to remember the fierce battle and the Romans losses. ... and this battle was during the winter (Dacians lost some cavalry when the Danube ice has broken ). Appolodor bridge .... was build by the Romans, not by the Dacians !! ... Aurelian destroy the bridge after 160 years, not after some decades. ... it was not necessary the longest for 1000 years because Constantin the Great build also a bridge over the Danube around 328 AD. Trajan Column... the first image is another column

I read the title as "Trajan Optimus Prime"

4:52 Domitian in the after life Caesar: First time?

Jesus Loves You All

The Praetorian Guard should rather have been renamed to Officio Assassinorum.

Aurelian was pretty close to reach Trajan's heights

Can you do video about another Autobot?

The first picture of trajan's column is in fact a column in front of a church in Vienna: Karlskirche.

Is this the guy condoms was named after?🤔

He also ordered the building of Tropaeum Traiani after the battle at Adamclisi in Moesia Inferior.

The Eastern Romans or Byzantines cheered the new crowned Emperor with the royal acclamation "May he be happier than Augustus and better than Trajan" centuries after the passing of this excelled Emperor. The closest Byzantines equivalent to Trajan are Mauritius and Basil II to my judgment.

thanks for all the information. i had no idea that romans didn't have noses. fascinating

Claude was born in Lyon in 10 BC so Trajan was not the first to be born outside of Italy

Can you do Constantine next