Hadrian

Examples of Hadrian in the following topics:

• Art and Culture Under the Nerva-Antonines

  • Emperor Hadrian, among other Nerva-Antonine emperors, patronized the arts, held public festivals, and influenced the culture of Rome and beyond.
  • Above all, Hadrian patronized the arts: Hadrian's Villa at Tibur was the greatest Roman example of an Alexandrian garden, recreating a sacred landscape, albeit lost in large part to the despoliation of the ruins by the Cardinal d'Este, who had much of the marble removed to build Villa d'Este.
  • Also, all Roman emperors before Hadrian, except for Nero (also a great admirer of Greek culture), were clean shaven.
  • Most of the emperors after Hadrian would be portrayed with beards.
  • As a cultural Hellenophile Hadrian was familiar with the work of the philosophers Epictetus, Heliodorus and Favorinus.

• Architecture under Hadrian

  • Hadrian was a great lover of architecture; the buildings he designed reflect these attributes of his character.
  • Hadrian's time as emperor was marked with peace and relative stability throughout the empire.
  • Hadrian also traveled extensively, enjoying new cultures, inspecting troops, and promoting military readiness.
  • The Mausoleum of Hadrian was a large cylinder topped by a garden and quadriga statue.
  • The Mausoleum of Hadrian was a large cylinder topped by a garden and quadriga statue.

• Military Successes of the Nerva-Antonine Dynasty

  • Hadrian had already surrendered Trajan's conquests in Mesopotamia, considering them to be indefensible.
  • In the East, Hadrian contented himself with retaining suzerainty over Osroene, which was ruled by the client king Parthamaspates, once client king of Parthia under Trajan.
  • Hadrian's abandonment of an aggressive policy was something for which the Senate and its historians never forgave Hadrian: the fourth century historian Aurelius Victor charged him with being jealous of Trajan's exploits and deliberately trying to downplay their worthiness.
  • To maintain morale and prevent the troops from becoming restive, Hadrian established intensive drill routines, and personally inspected the armies.
  • Sections of Hadrian's Wall remain along the route, though much has been dismantled over the years to use the stones for various nearby construction projects.

• Architecture under the Nervan-Antonines

  • The emperors Trajan and Hadrian were the two most prolific emperors who constructed buildings during the Nervan-Antonine dynasty.
  • Unfortunately for Apollodorus, Trajan's heir Hadrian also took an interest in architecture.
  • Hadrian's Pantheon still remains standing today, a great testament of Roman engineering and ingenuity.
  • Hadrian's decision to use the original inscription links him to the original imperial builders of Rome.
  • Discuss Trajan's Forum, Trajan's Markets, Hadrian's Pantheon, and Hadrian's Villa at Tivoli.

• The Nerva-Antonine Dynasty

  • These emperors are Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus, and Commodus.
  • Moreover, there was a family connection as Trajan adopted his first cousin once removed and great-nephew by marriage Hadrian and Hadrian made his half-nephew by marriage and heir Antoninus Pius adopt both Hadrian's second cousin three times removed and half-great-nephew by marriage Marcus Aurelius, also Antoninus' nephew by marriage, and the son of his original planned successor, Lucius Verus.
  • Hadrian was Roman Emperor from 117 to 138 CE.
  • He is also known for building Hadrian's Wall, which marked the northern limit of Roman Britain.
  • During his reign, Hadrian traveled to nearly every province of the Empire.

• Imperial Sculpture under the Nervan-Antonines

  • Hadrian, Trajan's adopted son and heir, peacefully became emperor in 117 CE.
  • Hadrian set a fashion for beards among Romans, and most emperors after him also wore a beard.
  • Prior to Hadrian nearly all Roman men were clean shaven.
  • By having his own portraits copy those of Hadrian, Antoninus Pius forged a visual link between himself and his predecessor.
  • Just as Hadrian chose to wear his hair and beard in a Greek style, his wife Sabina also chose a Greek hair style, helping to promote Hadrian's Panhellenic agenda.

• The Antonines

  • He was adopted by Hadrian as his son and heir under the condition that he, in turn, adopt Lucius Veras and Marcus Aurelius as his sons and heirs.
  • Upon Hadrian's death, Antoninus persuaded the Senate to deify Hadrian, and so received the name Pius.
  • This is modeled on Trajan's column and was originally erected on the Campus Martius between the Temple of Divine Hadrian and the Temple of Divine Marcus Aurelius.

• Victory Columns under the Nervan-Antonines

  • Antoninus Pius (r. 138-161 CE), the first of the Antonine emperors, was the adopted son of Hadrian.
  • This column is modeled on Trajan's column and was originally erected on the Campus Martius between the Temple of Divine Hadrian and the Temple of Divine Marcus Aurelius.

• Architecture under Constantine

  • Those from the monuments of Trajan, Hadrian, and Marcus Aurelius—all considered good emperors of the Pax Romana—were reused as decoration.
  • These are Hadrianic and depict images of hunting and sacrifice.

• Rome

  • The Romans based much of their architecture on the dome, such as Hadrian's Pantheon in the city of Rome .