Trajan built a permanent
stone bridge across the Danube below the Iron Gates to secure
communication with the northern bank, and returned to Rome to celebrate
his victory with a triumph. But Decebalus was not content to remain as a
Roman vassal and made preparations to recover his people's independence.
In 105 A. D. he opened hostilities by an invasion of Moesia. However,
Trajan hurried to the scene, secured the support of the neighboring
tribes, and in the following year entered Dacia. His victory was complete,
the capital of Decebalus was captured, the king took his own life, and
such of the Dacians as did not abandon their country were hunted down and
exterminated. Dacia was made a Roman province, and was peopled with
settlers from various parts of the empire, particularly from Asia Minor.
The new province was of importance both on account of its gold mines and
its position as a bulwark defending the provinces to the south of the
Danube. To commemorate his Dacian wars, Trajan erected a stone column, one
hundred feet high, in the new forum which bore his name. The column, which
is still in place, is adorned with a spiral band of sculptured reliefs
that vividly trace the course of the military operations.

On other frontiers also Trajan strengthened or extended the boundaries of
the empire. In 106 he annexed the kingdom of the Nabataean Arabs to the
east of Palestine and Syria. From this was formed the province of Arabia.
In Africa also the Romans occupied new territory, and secured it against
Berber raids by creating new fortresses at Lambaesis and Timgad.

*The Parthian war, 114-116 A. D.* The peaceful relations which had existed
between Rome and Parthia since the time of Nero were broken in 114 A. D.
when the Parthian king Chosroes drove out the Armenian ruler, who had
received his crown from Trajan's hands, and set his own son Parthamasiris
in his stead. Trajan at once repaired to the East and concentrated an army
for the invasion of Armenia. Parthamasiris offered to acknowledge the
Roman suzerainty over Armenia, but Trajan determined to effect a definite
settlement of the eastern frontier by the permanent occupation of Armenia
and, for strategic reasons, of Mesopotamia also. In 114 he effected an
easy conquest of Armenia, and in the next year annexed Upper Mesopotamia.
He now resolved to complete his success by the overthrow of the Parthian
kingdom. Accordingly, in 116 A. D., he overran Assyria and made it a
prov