Emperor Hadrian
Mr.Connor
Arch 1301
3 Dec 2008
Emperor Hadrian Hadrian has been described as the one of most remarkable emperors that ever served Rome. Hadrian was born on January twenty-fourth in the seventy-sixth year in Rome, though his family is of Spanish decent. Hadrian’s himself has imperial rights since his father Hadriatus was both cousins with Emperor Trajan and served in the senate himself for a short time. As an adult Hadrian is tall, and with a sturdy build. Curly haired and a beard no help cover scars on his face from childhood. He was always in shape as he kept a very active lifestyle. Walking, throwing a javelin and working his arms. He was also an avid big game hunter even once,sustaining a broken collar bone during an unspecified expedition. Though Hadrian has imperial rights it is not until Trajan adopts him as his own son that Hadrian is then set of his path to be a ruler. The appointment is said to have been of a suspicious nature, with only two days between adoption and appointment from Trajan as he lie on his death bed. Even with the suspicious nature Hadrian proclaims “This is the anniversary of my accention”. It is said that Neratius Priscus was supposed to be Trajan’s successor. It is believed that Plotina the widow of Trajan had actually set fourth both the adoption and appointment of Hadrian and not Trajan himself.
Once he has taken office he sends four senators to their death. The reasoning was that they were spreading propaganda and conspiracy theories about how Hadrian gained his seat of power. Mostly having to do with no proof that Trajan made the appointment and the openness that he shared about Neratius being in his visions for Rome. The public didn’t agree with Hadrian’s actions and this didn’t help perception of him to the plebians as a new Caesar. To soften the public’s perception about him, Hadrian is said to have first lowered taxes for the plebians. Along with
Arch 1301
3 Dec 2008
Emperor Hadrian Hadrian has been described as the one of most remarkable emperors that ever served Rome. Hadrian was born on January twenty-fourth in the seventy-sixth year in Rome, though his family is of Spanish decent. Hadrian’s himself has imperial rights since his father Hadriatus was both cousins with Emperor Trajan and served in the senate himself for a short time. As an adult Hadrian is tall, and with a sturdy build. Curly haired and a beard no help cover scars on his face from childhood. He was always in shape as he kept a very active lifestyle. Walking, throwing a javelin and working his arms. He was also an avid big game hunter even once,sustaining a broken collar bone during an unspecified expedition. Though Hadrian has imperial rights it is not until Trajan adopts him as his own son that Hadrian is then set of his path to be a ruler. The appointment is said to have been of a suspicious nature, with only two days between adoption and appointment from Trajan as he lie on his death bed. Even with the suspicious nature Hadrian proclaims “This is the anniversary of my accention”. It is said that Neratius Priscus was supposed to be Trajan’s successor. It is believed that Plotina the widow of Trajan had actually set fourth both the adoption and appointment of Hadrian and not Trajan himself.
Once he has taken office he sends four senators to their death. The reasoning was that they were spreading propaganda and conspiracy theories about how Hadrian gained his seat of power. Mostly having to do with no proof that Trajan made the appointment and the openness that he shared about Neratius being in his visions for Rome. The public didn’t agree with Hadrian’s actions and this didn’t help perception of him to the plebians as a new Caesar. To soften the public’s perception about him, Hadrian is said to have first lowered taxes for the plebians. Along with
Cited: Birley, Anthony. Hadrian the Restless Emperor. Rutledge Publishers 1997. Norwich, John Julius. Great Architecture of the World. Da Capo Press inc. 1991. Speller, Elizabeth. Following Hadrian. Oxford University press 2003. Yourcenar , Marguerite. Memoirs of Hadrian. Farrer, Straus & Company 1963.