8.1

Nerva Emperor, 96–98 CE

(1) Annō octingentēsimō et quīnquāgēsimō ab urbe conditā: AUC 850, 96 CE.

Vetere et Valente cōnsulibus: ablative absolute with form of esse assumed (AG 419.a).

commissa: "having been entrusted,"  perfect passive participle < committō, agreeing with rēs publica.

Domitiānō: dative object of successit. The Emperor Domitian was the last of the Flavian dynasty.

Nerva: Marcus Cocceius Nerva was born at Narnia in Umbria in 32 CE. He was consul with Vespasian in 71 and with Domitian in 90. After the assassination of Domitian, he was declared emperor by the Roman people and the soldiers, and his administration restored tranquility to the troubled state. He stopped proceedings against those accused of treason and permitted many exiles to return. Though he was virtuous and humane, he did not possess the necessary vigor for checking the many abuses that existed. He adopted as his son and successor Marcus Ulpius Trajan, who was then at the head of the army in Germany. He died suddenly on the 27th of January, 98 CE (Hazzard).

nōbilitātis mediae: genitive of quality (AG 345).

operam dante: ablative absolute using a present active participle (AG 419). Those who conspired to kill Domitian and elevate Nerva included his wife, Domitilla, his chamberlain, Parthenias, and the new praetorian prefects, Petronius Secundus and Norbanus. The actual assassin was Stephanus, his niece Domitilla's steward, aided by Parthenius's servants (Suetonius, Domitian 16-17; Dio Cassius 67.15-18; Aurelius Victor, Epitome 12.2) (Bird).

Petrōniō Secundō...item Partheniō: Parthenius and Petronius were executed in AD 97 at the insistence of the praetorians (Bird).

operam dante Petrōniō Secundō praefectō praetōriō: ablative absolute (AG 419).

(2) adoptandō: "by adopting," ablative gerund (AG 507). The childless Nerva adopted Trajan in October 97 CE.

Rōmae: locative (AG 427.3).

aetātis septuāgēsimō et alterō annō: Eutropius is mistaken. Nerva was sixty-five years old when he died (Hazzard).