 Contrary to the view here popularized by <unk> <unk> , however , <unk> had in fact little choice with regard to his successor . Faced with a major crisis , he desperately needed the support of a man who could restore his damaged reputation . The only candidate with sufficient military experience , <unk> ancestry , and connections was Trajan . Likewise , Edward <unk> 's assertion that <unk> <unk> established a tradition of succession through adoption among the Five Good <unk> has found little support among modern historians . 
