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.