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Tertiary sourceInterview

The Roman Empire of the Second Century, read aloud

William Wolfe Capes

A LibriVox audio reading by a volunteer of William Wolfe Capes's overview of AD 96-180, covering Trajan's reign.

This audio reading of a historical overview describes Trajan as the soldier emperor who succeeded Nerva, placing him in the Antonine age.

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LibriVox volunteer reading (Pamela Nagami) of William Wolfe Capes, The Roman Empire of the Second Century. Not the voice of any Roman.

About this source

What it is

This is an audio recording of William Wolfe Capes's book The Roman Empire of the Second Century. It is read in English by the volunteer Pamela Nagami for LibriVox, a project that releases recordings in the public domain. The reading is not the voice of Trajan or any Roman. The original book describes the period from AD 96 to 180, including Trajan's reign.

Why it matters

Capes's book presents Trajan as a successor to Nerva, a soldier who was easy of access to people of all classes. The overview links Trajan to the emperors who followed him, such as Hadrian. Hearing the text read aloud is a modern way of encountering a historical summary.

Look closer

  • How does a volunteer's reading change the way you hear the author's words?
  • What does the phrase "went about the streets almost unguarded" suggest about Trajan's relationship with the public?
  • Which details about Trajan does this overview include, and which might it leave out?

This interview is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Trajan on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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