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What if the roman general lusius quietus succeeded the emperor Trajan instead of Hadrian? Quietus was originally a Berber but gained roman citizenship and was given equestrian rank by Domitian. He distinguished himself in trajans conquest of Dacia and was made a senator by Trajan.

In trajans conquest of Mesopotamia, quietus played an instrumental role in the war in helping Trajan. He was the governor of Judaea in 117 when Trajan died. Judging by Hadrian going to great lengths to remove him from his position before announcing his withdraw from Mesopotamia, quietus was quite clearly a contender for the throne.

Now there is good evidence that Trajan never naned a successor and it was through the work of his wife that Hadrian became emperor. So what if quietus was proclaimed emperor instead of Hadrian at trajans death? An immediate effect would be no withdraw from Mesopotamia, at least not immediately. One of the reasons Hadrian removed quietus was he was certain he would have opposed to the withdraw. So it seems quietus is going to start out his reign putting down rebellions in Mesopotamia and quelling the second Jewish war.


Thoughts?
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