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Hadrian

Bust of Hadrian from Italica. Museo Arqueológico, Sevilla (Spain). Photo Jan van Vliet.
Hadrian (Museo Arqueológico, Sevilla)
Hadrian: emperor of the Roman world (117-138).

Names:

  • 24 January 76: Publius Aelius Hadrianus 
  • 11 August 117: Imperator Caesar Trajanus Hadrianus Augustus
  • 10 July 138: natural death
Refused titles: Optimus, Germanicus, Dacicus, Parthicus

Successor of: Trajan

Relatives:

  • father: Publius Aelius Hadrianus 
  • mother: Domitia Paulina
  • married to: Vibia Sabina, daughter of Matidia
An inscription with Hadrian's Greek titles. Rijksmuseum van oudheden, Leiden (Holland). Photo Jona Lendering.
An inscription with Hadrian's Greek titles (Rijksmuseum van
oudheden, Leiden)

Early career:

Main deeds:

  • 117 Accession in Antioch
  • 118 Consul II (with Gnaeus Pedanius Fuscus Salinator); arrives in Rome
  • 119 Consul III (with Publius Dasumius Rufus)
  • 121 Inauguration of the temple of Venus and Rome; visit of Gaul and the Rhine
  • 122 In Britain; Moorish revolt; moves to Spain
  • 123 In Spain; moves to the east
  • c.124: Fall of Septicus Clarus (praetorian prefect) and Suetonius
  • 124 Stay in Ephesus and Athens, initiated in the Mysteries of Eleusis
  • 125 Returns to Rome
  • 127 Italian tour
  • 128 Visits Sicily and Africa; moves to Athens; receives the title Olympius
  • 129 Visits Ephesus, Apamea, Antioch
  • 130 Visits Palmyra, refounds Jerusalem (Aelia Capitolina), visits Alexandria; death of Antinous; founds Antinoopolis; returns to Alexandria
  • 131 Return to Athens; receives the title Panhellenius and Panionius
  • 132 Arrives in Rome; insurrection of Bar Kochba
  • 134 Alans invade the Parthian Empire
  • 135/136 Hadrian takes Betar
  • 136 Last fights in Galilee; Hadrian adopts Lucius Aelius as caesar
  • 137 Lucius Aelius consul II; vicennalia; death of Sabina
  • 138 Death of Lucius Aelius; adopts Antoninus Pius
  • 138 Death in Baiae
Relief, probably commemorating Hadrian's victory over the Jews. Merseyside county museums, Liverpool (Britain). From A.R. Birley, Hadrian. The restless emperor (1997).
Hadrian, killing a Jew (from A.R. Birley, Hadrian, 1997; ©!!!)

Buildings:

Contemporary events:

  • 125 Juvenal's Satires
  • 135 Epictetus, Encheiridion
Succeeded by: Antoninus Pius

Links:

This brief article has been written to offer background information
to the real articles on Livius.Org. One day, this webpage will be
improved. A list of completed articles can be found here.
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