The Emperor M. Ulpius Trajan was born in Italica (Spain) in 53 B.C. The formidable task accomplished in his reign was the conquest of Dacia (present day Romania). In 101 he began his campaign: when the roads and fortifications were ready, Trajan took the capital by force and imposed impossibly hard conditions which Decebalus, the leader of the Dacians, did not choose to abide by. In 105 fighting was resumed. The Dacians fought desperately: “to victory or to death”; but their army was wiped out. Their heroic prince committed suicide and Trajan returned to Rome laden with treasures. After the celebrations of his triumph, he wished to remember his victory and decided to bui ... continue