Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Hadrian

Bust of Hadrian, Roman emperador. Photo by Marie-Lan Nguyen- Wikimedia commons

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Hadrian

Hadrian reigned as Emperor of the Roman Empire from 117 to 138. Among his successors and predecessors, Hadrian was the only emperor who visited all of the great Roman Empire’s cities and provinces. He was the epitome of a dedicated visitor who achieved success in a variety of fields, such as military service and politics.

Today, we’d like to share with our readers some facts about his life and rule that they may not be aware of. They’re here…

1.Hadrian was born in the country of Spain and later moved to Italy

Hadrian (76-138) was born in the Roman Italo-Hispanic city of Italica as “Publius Aelius Hadrianus.” This is in southern Spain, close to the contemporary town of Seville, and was in the Roman province of Hispania Baetica, roughly in the region of Andalusia.

His father was a Praetorian senator, and the family can be traced back to the city of Atri in the Abruzzo region of eastern Italy. His mother was also a member of a prominent Hispano-Roman senatorial family.

2.Hadrian has a wall named after him, ‘Hadrian’s Wall’

As per some historians, Emperor Hadrian succeeded to the throne in 117 AD, at a time when the Roman Empire’s north-west border was enduring turmoil. The wall was most likely conceived of by Hadrian in reaction to such problems; the framework served as an enforcing declaration of the empire’s power as well as a disincentive to defiant incursions from the north.

3.He had a distant relationship with Emperor Trajan

Hadrian was born into a wealthy family, which made it simple for him to rise through the ranks of Ancient Rome. That’s exactly what he did as a young adult when he entered public service, also known as the “cursus honorum,” which could result to a career as a senator.

More importantly, Hadrian’s father was Trajan’s first cousin, the emperor at the time. Hadrian himself married Trajan’s grandniece, “Vibia Sabina,” when she was about 18 years old, in an arranged marriage that he disliked.

4.Hadrian became an orphan at a very young age

Portrait bust of the emperor Hadrian with idealistic features. About 130 A.D. Photo by George E. Koronaios- Wikimedia commons

Publius Aelius Hadrianus Afer and Domitia Paulina gave birth to Hadrian in January 76. His father served as a senator. His mother was born into a noble senatorial family in the area currently recognised as Cadiz. Hadrian’s father required frequent business trips to Rome, so the family settled in Italica.

Hadrian was only ten years old when his parents died. Trajan, a Roman emperor and Hadrian’s father’s cousin, looked after Hadrian and his sister after their deaths.

Hadrian was a boy who loved hunting, Greek literature, and culture. Trajan summoned him to Rome to continue his education when he was 14, an interesting Hadrian fact.

5.Hadrian had an interesting story on how he finally reigned after his father’s death

Trajan’s empress, Plotina, arranged the marriage. Trajan apparently appointed Hadrian as his successor on his deathbed, but no one heard him say it except Plotina.

This, in addition to the fact that the adoption document was only displayed the day after his death and was only signed by Plotina, created an extraordinary case, raising questions about the legitimacy of the adoption and succession.

6.He was a very good and clever student since his early school days

Hadrian received an outstanding education as a high-ranking Roman. If you’re wondering what Hadrian’s favorite subject was, it was anything Greek. He was a big fan of Greek literature, history, and culture. Due to his renowned grecophilia, his colleagues dubbed him “Graeculus” (“Greekling”).

7.After Hadrian succeed his father four important members of the Roman Empire died

Bronze bust of the Roman Emperor Hadrian 2nd century CE at the Greco-Roman Museum in Alexandria Egypt AG. Photo by Allan Gluck- Wikimedia commons

Hadrian quickly wrote a letter to the senate declaring that he was the new emperor and that he should be treated as such. Due to the peculiar events that led up to his reign, some senators undoubtedly raised many serious concerns.

In questionable circumstances, four leading senators were executed soon after his letter was received. The path had been blazed, and Hadrian was crowned Emperor of the Roman Empire in 117 A.D. however, connections with the Senate never recovered.

8.He was very devoted in enhancing the safety and lives of his community and other areas

His dedication to the Roman army was such that he used to sleep and eat with the regular soldiers, and he is frequently depicted in military clothing, despite the fact that his reign was relatively peaceful. The consistency and growing economic success of the empire afforded Hadrian the elegance of traveling to the provinces to investigate first-hand the developments he had designed and created from Rome.

Hadrian’s construction jobs are possibly his most enduring memory. He travelled to Britannia in 122 CE, soon after putting down a rebellion, and instructed the construction of a long, defensive wall to help stop quick intrusion by the northern Picts; this framework is now known as Hadrian’s Wall in modern-day England.

He built cities, erected landmarks, enhanced roads, and fortified regions all through the Balkan Peninsula, Egypt, Asia Minor, North Africa, and Greece. He went to Greece at least twice and became a member of the Eleusinian Mysteries.

The Arch of Hadrian, built by the citizens of Athens in 131/132 CE, honors Hadrian as the city’s founder. Markings on the arch mention Theseus (the traditional founder), but also Hadrian, due to the latter’s substantial achievements to Athens, including the grand Temple of Zeus.

9.Hadrian’s later years as an emperor and possibly poisoning his wife

Hadrian lived out his final years in Rome. He received an Imperial salutation for the end of the Second Jewish War in 134. (which was not actually concluded until the following year).

As Hadrian came to see the war as a “cruel and unexpected frustration to his ambitions” for a cultured dynasty, he kept ceremonies and accomplishment awards to a low rate.

The Empress Sabina died, most likely in 136, following an unhappy marriage with which Hadrian had to put up with as a political expediency. According to the Historia Augusta biography, Hadrian himself stated that his wife’s “ill-temper as well as irritability” would be grounds for divorce if he were a private citizen.

After Sabina’s death, this brought stability to the widely held belief that Hadrian poisoned her. In accordance with Imperial protocol, Sabina – who had been elevated to the rank of Augusta sometime around 128 – was deified not long after her death.

10.There’s a very short list when it comes to good emperors, his is considered on of the greatest to live

Gold Aureus of Hadrian. Photo by American Numismatic Society- Wikimedia commons

Regardless of the mass slaughter in Judaea and his highly questionable claim to the throne, he is regarded as one of the Five Good Emperors of the Ancient Roman Empire. His reign was relatively peaceful, and he had no desire to dramatically widen the empire and start numerous wars.

His key emphasis was heritage, and despite the fact that he is thought to have a paradox of excessive kindness and excessive inhumanity, his mysterious charisma and enormous inquisitiveness makes him one of the greatest leaders of this ancient empire!