Adoption in Rome was a fairly common procedure, particularly in the upper senatorial class. The need for a male heir and the expense of raising children were strong incentives to have at least one son, but not too many children. Adoption, the obvious solution, also served to cement ties between the two families, thus fostering and reinforcing alliances. In the Imperial period, the system also acted as a mechanism for ensuring a smooth succession, the emperor taking his chosen successor as his adopted son.

Read the rest of this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adoption_in_Rome

Today's selected anniversaries:

61 BC In Rome, Pompey the Great celebrated triumphs over pirates in the eastern Mediterranean Sea and in the war against king Mithridates VI of Pontus in Asia Minor, with enormous parades of spoils, prisoners, army and banners depicting battle scenes. It was also his 45th birthday. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pompey)

1829 The first official police force in the world, the Metropolitan Police of London, also known as the Met or Scotland Yard, was founded by Sir Robert Peel. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_Police_Service)

1941 In Kiev, Ukraine, the Babi Yar massacre began. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babi_Yar)

1972 Sino-Japanese relations: Japan established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, breaking official ties with the Republic of China. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_Communique_of_the_Government_of_Japan_and...)

Wikiquote of the day:

"Love is the most important thing in the world. It may be important to great thinkers to examine the world, to explain and despise it. But I think it is only important to love the world, not to despise it, not for us to hate each other, but to be able to regard the world and ourselves and all beings with love, admiration and respect." ~ Hermann Hesse (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Hermann_Hesse)