Marcus Ulpius Traianus was a member of gens Ulpia. His distant paternal ancestors moved from Italy and settled in Italica (near modern Seville, Spain) in the Roman Province of Hispania Baetica.

Traianus was the first member of his family to enter the Roman Senate. Before 67, Traianus might have commanded a legion under the Roman General Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo. Under Vespasian (who was the Roman Governor of Judea), Traianus commanded the tenth legion Legio X Fretensis during the First Jewish–Roman War between 67-68. During this time, he came into favor with the future emperor.

Due to his successes, Vespasian awarded Traianus with the governorship of an unknown Roman province and a consulship between 70 and 72. In later years, he served as a Roman Governor of Hispania Baetica, Syria, in 79 or 80 governed an unknown African province and then western Anatolia. During his time in Syria, Traianus prevented a Parthian invasion.

Traianus lived in his final years in honor and distinction. Indirect evidence suggests that he may have died before his son became emperor in 98.[

Around 100, his son Trajan had founded a colony in North Africa. This colony became a town and was called Colonia Marciana Ulpia Traiana Thamugadi (modern Timgad, Algeria). His son named this town in honor of him, his late wife and his daughter. The colony’s name is also a tribute to his sister and his paternal ancestors. In 113, Traianus was deified by his son, and his titulature reads divus Traianus pater.

Gift med
Marcia av Marcii, född 30 i Roma, Lazio, Italien, död 97 i Santiponce, Sevilla, Andalucia, Spanien.

Barn:
Ulpia Marciana av Ulpii, född 48, död 113