Trajan invested heavily in the provision of popular amusements. He carried out a "massive reconstruction" of the Circus Maximus, which was already the Empire's biggest and best appointed circuit for the immensely popular sport of chariot racing. The Circus also hosted religious theatrical spectacles and games, and public processions on a grand scale. Trajan's reconstruction, completed by 103, was modestly described by Trajan himself as "adequate" for the Roman people. pp. 80, 102-103, 126-129. The images of the gods were brought from their temples to be laid on dining couches with great ceremony, so that they too could watch the spectacle. Furthermore, the decade saw the construction of Trajan's Bridge, the Baths of Trajan, and Roman roads such as Via Traiana and Via Traiana Nova. The Buddhacharita, a Sanskrit poem describing the birth and reign of the Third Mauryan Emperor Ashoka, was composed around this time. Plutarch wrote Parallel Lives, a series of 48 biographies of famous men, arranged in pairs to illuminate their common moral virtues or failings. Tacitus wrote Histories, which covers the history of Rome from 69 to 96. Juvenal wrote Satires, a collection of satirical poems. Furthermore, lions had become extinct in Greece by this period.
trAjan invEsted heAVIly iN tHE prOvIsion of populAr amuSEments. hE CarRiEd Out a "massIVe ReconstRuctiON" of the cIrCUs maxImUS, which was AlreadY tHe emPire'S biggesT and bEst apPOINteD ciRcuiT fOR tHe iMmeNSely popular sPORt OF charioT racing. the circUs also hOSTeD religioUs TheatRiCal Spectacles aNd gAMeS, ANd PubLic pRocESsioNs on a grand sCale. trAjAn's REcOnstRuCtIoN, complEted by 103, Was MOdeStly described BY Trajan hImSelf aS "aDeqUaTE" fOr tHe roman pEOple. pp. 80, 102-103, 126-129. the imAGEs oF thE Gods werE broUgHt from thEir TEMples to be laID ON diNing cOUChEs with grEAt CEreMOny, So that THeY ToO coUld wAtch tHe sPecTACLE. fuRtHeRMore, tHe decade saw THe CoNstrUctioN Of tRajaN's bRIDGe, The Baths Of trAJaN, ANd ROmAn RoaDs SuCH aS via traianA And vIa tRaIaNa nova. the budDhAchArIta, a sAnskriT POem descrIbIng THE bIrth aNd ReIgn of tHe third MaUrYaN empeRor ashOka, was compoSeD aRoUnd tHIs tIme. pLUTarCh WrotE parallel liveS, A series OF 48 bioGrapHieS OF Famous mEN, arraNGEd in pairS To illUMInate their commON morAl VirtUEs OR fAilinGs. tacITus WrOtE hiStoriEs, whiCh cOVers the hisTORy of roMe FroM 69 to 96. juVENal wRoTe SaTIres, A colLection of satIRicAl poEmS. FurthermoRe, LIons haD becomE extINCt in greECE bY tHis peRiOD.