''Felicior Augusto, melior Traiano'' or ''Sis felicior Augusto, melior Traiano'' (

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

: "be more fortunate than

Augustus Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...

ndbetter than

Trajan Trajan ( ; la, Caesar Nerva Traianus; 18 September 539/11 August 117) was Roman emperor from 98 to 117. Officially declared ''optimus princeps'' ("best ruler") by the senate, Trajan is remembered as a successful soldier-emperor who presi ...

) was the formula delivered in the Roman Senate at the inauguration of late Roman emperors. The phrase refers to the perceived well-being of the empire during the reigns of Augustus and Trajan. Particularly, it recalls the divine favour Augustus supposedly enjoyed and Trajan's title ''Optimus'' (Best), expressing the senatorial memory of Trajan as the exemplar of imperial modesty. After the setbacks of the third century, Augustus and Trajan became in the Later Roman Empire the paragon of the most positive traits of the Imperial order. The phrase was in use until at least the 4th century AD, when the Roman Empire had dramatically changed in character from what it had been under Trajan's rule.

References

{{reflist Latin political words and phrases Augustus Trajan Roman emperors Inauguration