Editing Trajan (section)

=== Currency and welfare ===
{{see also|Alimenta}}
In 107, Trajan devalued the [[Roman currency]], decreasing the silver content of the [[denarius]] from 93.5% to 89.0%{{snds}}the actual silver weight dropping from 3.04{{nbsp}}grams to 2.88{{nbsp}}grams.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tulane.edu/~august/handouts/601cprin.htm |title=Tulane University "Roman Currency of the Principate" |publisher=Tulane.edu |access-date=5 December 2011 |archive-date=1 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081101003844/http://www.tulane.edu/~august/handouts/601cprin.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> This devaluation, along with the massive amounts of gold and silver acquired through his [[Trajan's Dacian Wars|Dacian wars]], allowed Trajan to mint many more denarii than his predecessors. He also withdrew from circulation silver denarii minted before Nero's devaluation. Trajan's devaluation may have had a political intent, enabling planned increases in civil and military spending.{{sfn|Petit|1976|p=188}} Trajan formalised the alimenta, a welfare program that helped orphans and poor children throughout Italy by providing cash, food and subsidized education. The program was supported out of Dacian War booty, estate taxes and philanthropy.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tjbuggey.ancients.info/Alimenta.html |title=Alimenta |publisher=Tjbuggey.ancients.info |access-date=25 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140210160453/http://tjbuggey.ancients.info/Alimenta.html |archive-date=10 February 2014 }}</ref> The alimenta also relied indirectly on mortgages secured against Italian farms (''fundi''). Registered landowners received a lump sum from the imperial treasury, and in return were expected to repay an annual sum to support the alimentary fund.<ref>John Rich, Andrew Wallace-Hadrill, eds., ''City and Country in the Ancient World''. London: Routledge, 2003, {{ISBN|0-203-41870-0}}, p. 158.</ref>