Hadrian
Hadrian was a Roman emperor who ruled from 117 to 138. He was a part of the gens Aelia, and he was the third of what is called the Five Good Emperors. However, some historians have stated that he moved beyond the confines of these simple stereotypes. His reign was one of contrasts: The beginning was a bit rough, the middle of it was prosperous, and it ended with tragedy. Hadrian was born in Spain to a distinguished family. He was distantly related to Trajan, and though Trajan never made an official decision about who should be his heir, his mother said that he named Hadrian right before he died. Hadrian was very well educated and spent a great deal of time learning the subjects that many other aristocrats studied at the time. |  |
Much like Trajan, Hadrian served in the army. He was in the military during the reign of Domitian. He also acted as a tribune during this time. When Nerva died, it was Hadrian who personally informed Trajan of the news. He would gain the ranking of governor in Upper Pannonia. One of the most interesting things about Trajan is that he became a citizen of Athens. Along with Trajan, Hadrian was also known for his battles against the Dacians, and he was given a number of rewards for his service. However, when he became emperor, he did not engage in a large number of battles, so historians debate as to the level of his military prowess. Despite this, he had spent a great deal of time studying military tactics.
While he may have been unproven as a commander, he was a skilful administrator. He was also responsible for guarding the Roman rear as Trajan and his troops pulled out of Syria. Even though Trajan never officially designated Hadrian the emperor, everyone knew that he was the most obvious successor. Once Trajan died, Hadrian became emperor, and the first thing he did was gain the loyalty of the legions. He dismissed people that he considered to be his rivals. Upon becoming emperor, Hadrian did not immediately go to Rome, he first dealt with a Jewish revolt that had appeared in the East.
While Hadrian took care of the situation, he put Attianus in charge. Upon arriving in Rome, Attianus discovered a plot against Hadrian, and quickly squashed it by executing all those involved. He asked for the attention of the Senate, and he did not bother to give them a trial, they were simply hunted down. Because Hadrian was not present, he could not take responsibility, but some historians think the men were killed because of their loyalty to Trajan. Despite this, Hadrian performed a number of impressive feats as emperor, and an example of this would be Hadrian's Villa.
Original Authors: Stephen Palmer
Edit Update Authors: Ryan Norfolk
Updated On: 01/12/2006
