Ha, this is great! Although then why were Diocletan and Constantine so bad at arranging their succession? I suppose the answer is going to be "we don't know enough about them to really be able to guess," isn't it :)

I am sad that no one seems to know what happened to Domitian's heirs. I hope they were okay (but I suppose the odds are against it -- still, Feuchtwanger at least could have come down one way or the other!)

This is where Nerva showed his survival genius once more. He adopted the most popular army general, Trajan, thereaby pre-empting the army (or huge parts of same) turning against him. (Nerva being old, it was obvious Trajan would not have to wait for long.)

This is awesome!

When a letter Trajan was said to have composed on his deathbed appeared in Rome with Plotina's signature on it, in which he adopted Hadrian and named him successor to the Empire, suspicions were raised.

It seems rather to me that if you were going to try to pass this off as a forgery, you... would maybe not sign it with your own name?

Freisenbruch also notes these kinds of accusations have dogged the spouses of rulers through the centuries.

but I'm totally happy with Lucia being accused in the book, because she is awesome

with the obligation that Antoninus adopt Marcus and marry his daughter to young Marcus instead. (Which Antoninus did.)
Antoninus suceeded without resistance.

I'm relieved to hear these plans went as planned, after all the succession shenanigans with Diocletan and Constantine! (And, for that matter, Domitian.)