Colonie, coloni e militari nell’Africa di Traiano

The close collaboration between Trajan and Frontinus, who was well aware of the economic potential of Proconsular Africa, may have inspired imperial policy in the province and prompted the Optimus Princeps not only to punish those corrupt officials who oppressed the local population, but also—and above all—to promote a comprehensive reorganization of the rural landscape. This process involved bringing previously unproductive lands under cultivation, clearly defining the territories allotted to settlers, urban communities, and tribal groups, and equitably resolving the conflicts that arose among different parties competing with one another. All these measures were implemented with coherence and continuity throughout his entire reign, with the aim of achieving social peace not through coercion, but through consensus grounded in justice and widespread economic prosperity, from which both the imperial treasury and the local population ultimately benefited