Leiden University Student Repository

O Brien, Gavin (2020)

Trajan’s Imperial Alimenta: An analysis of the values attached to children in Roman society in the alimenta of Trajan

Master thesis | History (MA)

This thesis looks at the use of the Roman imperial alimenta which was established by the emperor Trajan at the turn of the second century AD. The alimenta sought to provide subsistence in the form of small cash payments to aid parents in providing for their children. While such schemes had existed for some time in the form of private endowments, one must wonder why Trajan should choose to establish a much larger system stretching across Italy. The scale of such an undertaking had never been performed exclusively for children in the past and one must wonder how their place and role in society had changed by this time to make their investment worthwhile. As such this thesis looks at the demographic, economic and symbolic value's to be found in children and the value of such investment to the stability of Trajan's rule.

alimenta

Trajan

Children in ancient rome

imperial benefactions

ancient landowners

Imperial Propaganda

Author

O Brien, Gavin

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

Ancient History

Supervisors

Tacoma, L.E.

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en