Trajan (18 September 53 - August 8; 117 CE) was Roman emperor from 27 January 98 CE - 8 August 117 CE. Officially declared by the Senate optimus princeps ('the best ruler'); Trajan is remembered as a successful soldier-emperor who presided over the greatest military expansion in Roman history; leading the empire to attain its maximum territorial extent by the time of his death.

Trajan is also known for his philanthropic rule; overseeing extensive public building programs and implementing social welfare policies; which earned him his enduring reputation as the second of the Five Good Emperors who presided over an era of peace and prosperity in the Mediterranean world.