Leadership can be defined as “the process of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation while operating to accomplish the mission and improve the organization” . Although the wording came from the U.S. Army Leadership Manual, the same principles applied to men who served in the Roman army in both the Republic and the Empire. From 508 BC to 1453, the Romans would be considered a "superpower" in the world with "all roads" leading to Rome as the old proverb explains. A superpower is sustained by a strong military and Rome is no exception. During his reign, Rome saw a large number of generals and leaders who would stand out over time. Three of these rulers would be Trajan, Marius and Scipio Africanus. These three generals will have a great impact on the Roman army and the establishment of its power. Marcus Ulpius Trajanus “was not a Roman aristocrat but a Spaniard from distant Italica (today Seville). Trajan dreamed of leading soldiers like his father before him, but "could hardly have dreamed of sitting on the throne of Caesar himself." Trajan took power in 98 AD and, unlike some of his predecessors, he "dreamed of military glory in the service of Rome". Trajan considered Dacia "the greatest threat to the Roman Empire, outside of the Kingdom of Parthia." The Dacians (former Romania) challenged Roman power in the region under King Decebalus and “previous treaties had proved unsatisfactory.” Trajan personally traveled to the Danube region to carry out reconnaissance before committing troops to the task; he realized that the region's infrastructure and staging areas would make his soldiers vulnerable to attack. Trajan chose sites capable of supporting bridges and had twelve miles of road cut...... middle of paper ...... Goldsworthy, Adrian, The Fall of Carthage, London, Phoenix, 2000. Lacey, James. "Rome's most cunning general, SCIPIO AFRICANUS." Military History 24, no. 5 (2007): 56-61.4 http://search.proquest.com/docview/212615844?accountid=8289.Mackay, Christopher, Ancient Rome: A Military and Political History, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2004.Matthew , Christopher. “The Battle of Vercelles and the alteration of the heavy javelin (Pilum) by Gaius Marius – 101 BC.” Antichthon 44, (2010): 50-67. http://search.proquest.com/docview/807643445?accountid=8289.Munro, Richard K. “The Last Great Roman Conqueror.” Military History 18, no. 6 (2002): 22-28. http://search.proquest.com/docview/212663606?accountid=8289.Tada, Richard. “TRAJANS Last Conquest.” Military History 24, no. 8 (2007): 44-49.4. http://search.proquest.com/docview/212673062?accountid=8289..