In this activity, students will examine the reign of the Roman emperor Trajan, focusing on his military campaigns in Dacia and against the Parthian Empire, his domestic welfare and building programmes, and his cooperative relationship with the Roman Senate. Learners will evaluate the evidence for Trajan’s reputation as the ‘Best Ruler’ of Rome and consider whether his achievements justify the title Optimus Princeps when compared with other prominent emperors such as Augustus and Marcus Aurelius.

It has 10 questions for students to answer, as well as a paragraph response section for them to demonstrate their understanding of the topic.