Emperor Hadrian
Contents
Country
Rome
Birth - Death
76 - 138
Occupation
Politics
Notable Achievements
Emperor, Head of State
Description
Hadrian, born as the son of a Senator, was Roman Emperor from 117 to 138. He was named to this position on the death of his great uncle, Trejan. His youth was spent in extensive military service before he was appointed Governor of the province of Upper Pannonia in the Balkans. At the time of his appointment as Emperor he was posted in Syria defending the Roman border.
As Emperor, Hadrian developed the reputation of being a just and fair ruler, greatly respected by the military, the Senate, and the Roman people. He has come to be known as one of the ‘Five Good Emperors’, being those deemed to have ruled justly by reputation in the history of the Roman Empire.
Part of the general military stability during his reign can be attributed to the erection of a series of defense walls on the outer perimeters of the Empire. The most notable of these is Hadrian’s Wall in Great Britain that still exists today.
Hadrian is noted as being an ardent supporter of the arts. During his peaceful reign, Hadrian built a solid reputation as an administrator focussed intently on the building of cultural institutions. This personal initiative followed from his particular admiration for all things Greek. One of the goals he established was to rebuild Athens into the Empire’s cultural capital, and the building program he initiated in that city was substantial in terms of number and quality. In addition, Hadrian developed a reputation as a poet in the later years of his life.
Hadrian’s respect was such that he died of healthy causes (being heart failure) at the age of 62. Most Emperors lived in constant fear of assassination attempts.
The peaceful reign of Hadrian can be explained in part by his adoption of the Humanist philosophy. Under this belief, individuals are encouraged to treat fellow citizens with respect. A process of critical thinking and dialogue is the preferred method of political rule (as opposed to tyranny). This approach was used successfully by Hadrian in avoiding a number of military conflicts with other powers which he resolved through peaceful negotiation. This devotion to Greek principles by a non-Greek has been termed Philhellenism, and Hadrian was a leading advocate during his reign.
Despite this Humanist approach, Hadrian is noted for his violent confrontation with the Jewish population toward the end of his reign. Although he respected the Jews as a people, he dealt harshly with a series of Jewish rebellions in the Empire caused by the erection of Roman temples on Jewish holy sites. He created the region of Syria out of traditional Jewish land and banished the Jews.
Hadrian was the first leader of Rome to make clear his homosexual preferences and make such love official. He is known for his long and intimate relationship with Antinous. He wrote a great deal of poetry to his male companion and they travelled extensively together. Antinous died in 130 from drowning, and this death greatly affected Hadrian. He founded the Egyptian town of Antinopolis in his honour and dedicated a large number of sites in Greece to him.
Recent archeological finds have shown that his abrupt tyranny to the Jews was a response to the sorrow over his loss of Antinous - the Jews revolted when he built the temple of Jupiter in honour of Antinous’ death on a Jewish religious site. Hadrian’s loss of love generated a deep human emotion that changed his personality. Previously dedicated to culture, good government, and universal peace, he became a tyrant. Hadrian retreated into isolation to his Roman villa.
Is it a surprise that a man who engages in love with other men can successfully rule a vast Empire on humanist philosophical principles of respect and justice? Regardless of Hadrian’s sexual inclination, his competencies as a political and military leader were guided by his philosophical approach to the organization of society and his personal commitment to arts and culture. His charismatic approach had great appeal. His breakdown and abrupt change of mental state caused by the death of a loved one, though played out in the extreme, is representative of the change that can occur in any human character.
See Also
Further Reading/Research
- http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/251204/Hadrian
- http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/article_index/h/hadrian,_roman_emperor_ad_117.aspx
- www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/hadrian-the-gay-emperor-769442.html
