he emperor were in many
cases supplemented by private benevolence. As a soldier, Trajan
realized the need of men for the maintenance of the Empire against the
outer barbarians, and he preferred that these men should be of Italian
birth. He was only carrying a step further the policy of Augustus, who
by a system of rewards and penalties had tried to encourage marriage
and the nurture of children. The annual effect of Trajan's regulations
is hard to measure; they were probably more effectual for their object
than those of Augustus. The foundations were confiscated by Pertinax,
after they had existed less than a century.

Toward the end of 100, or early in 101, Trajan left Rome for the
Danube. Pretexts for a Dacian war were not difficult to find. Although
there was no lack of hard fighting, victory in this war depended
largely on the work of the engineer. The great military road
connecting the posts in Upper Germany with those on the Danube, which
had been begun by Tiberius, was now extended along the right bank of
the river as far as the modern Orsova. The year 101 was spent mainly
in roadmaking and fortification. In the following campaign, after
desperate fighting to the north of the Danube in the mountainous
region of Transylvania, such as Caesar never encountered in all his
Gaulish wars, the capital of Decebalus was taken, and he was forced to
terms. He agreed to raze all fortresses, to surrender all weapons,
prisoners, and Roman deserters, and to become a dependent prince under
the suzerainty of Rome. Trajan came back to Italy with Dacian envoys,
who in ancient style begged the Senate to confirm the conditions
granted by the commander in the field. The emperor now enjoyed his
first Dacian triumph, and assumed the title of Dacicus. At the same
time he royally entertained the people, and no less royally rewarded
his brave officers.

But the Dacian chief could not school his high spirit to endure the
conditions of the treaty, and Trajan soon found it necessary to
prepare for another war. A massive stone bridge was built across the
Danube, near the modern Turn Severin, by Apollodorus, the gifted
architect who afterward designed the forum of Trajan. In 105 began the
new struggle, which on the side of Decebalus could now only lead to
victory or to destruction. The Dacians fought their ground inch by
inch, and their army as a whole may be said to have bled to death. The
prince put an end to his own life. His kingdom became