[Cronos]

I would note that most of the greatest Emperors were of Alba Longa blood - one of the first conquests of Rome. Then later you had the Spanish Trajan as you noted and the Dacian Aurelian, Max Thrax, then the Syrian Septimus Severus etc.

opening up citizenship , as you humourously put it, worked out really well. Rome granted senatorships to families in the 200s whose ancestors fought Caesar in Gauls

Controlled immigration can enhance a nation - if it is made clear that the immigrants need to embrace the culture and laws of the land

I thought Ovid ended up in Romania, so the western shore of the black sea.

[Roman_War_Criminal]

“I thought Ovid ended up in Romania, so the western shore of the black sea.”

He did - city called Tomi I believe, near modern day Constanta. I’ve been there. Roman ruins all over the place.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks C.