Trajan Entry, Encyclopaedia Britannica Ninth Edition

What it is

This is an entry on Trajan written by James Smith Reid for the ninth edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, a major reference work of the 19th century. It opens with details about Trajan's family in Italica, Spain, his father's military career, and Trajan's own upbringing as a soldier.

Why it matters

Written centuries after Trajan's death, this entry shows how 19th-century scholars understood and presented Roman history to an educated public. It reflects the historical sources available at the time and the values of the authors writing about ancient Rome, such as admiration for military toughness.

Look closer

• What kind of language does the author use to describe Trajan, and what does that suggest about his attitude?
• How might an encyclopedia entry from the 1800s differ from how historians describe Trajan today?
• What sources might the author have relied on, and how reliable might they be?