Papa V inocente

Hadrian or Adrien (Latin: IMPERATOR•CAESAR•TRAIANVS•HADRIANVS•AVGVSTVS) is a Roman Emperor, born the January 24th 76 with Italica in Bétique (Spain), and dead the July 10th 138 in its remains. It succeeds his adoptive father Trajan in 117, while having reinforced its bond with the imperial family thanks to the marriage with Vibia Sabina, a niece of Trajan.

Its work

Humanistic emperor, well-read man, poet and with the peaceful reputation, it does not attach a great importance to the conquests of Trajan on the Euphrate and breaks with the expansionist policy of its predecessor, attempting to pacify and organize the Empire while consolidating the borders - he is the first emperor to organize the Limes fixedly, and to apply a strictly defensive policy. One owes him, inter alia, of the continuous Fortification S called Limes , intended to protect the empire against the cruel invasions (Hadrian's Wall in the north of the Brittany - current Great Britain - for example).

In love with the Hellenic world, it tries to restore the Greek Religion by restricting the Eastern worships although it dedicated a worship particular to the Egyptian gods following his voyage in this province of the Empire in the neighborhoods of 130; indeed at the time of its passage to Alexandria, it ordered the restoration even the rebuilding of the temple of Sérapis and was made build in its imperial villa of Tivoli a sanctuary with the Egyptian gods whom one names Canope. Moreover in 127, in a Rescrit with the proconsul of Asia, Minicius Fundanus, it affirms that the Christians cannot be put at dead without preliminary lawsuit. But it represses risings of Judaea severely, in particular in 132/135 the revolt of Bar-Kokheba which gives him a transitory independence. Jerusalem, taken in 134, is prohibited with the Juifs and becomes the colony Ælia Capitolina (often spelled thus Aelia Capitolina) ; the Roman Province from now on is called Palestine.

Its architectural influence

Its voyages enable him to observe a large variety of architectural forms, especially in the East, which it takes as a starting point for its projects. It launched great work, initially in collaboration with the great architect Apollodore of Damas, before being scrambled with him and exiling it (and to make it carry out, according to Dion Cassius). Among its achievements, let us quote:
  • even has Rome, the Temple of Venus and Rome, begun into 121, according to a model hellenistic
  • the the Pantheon into 125, great architectural innovation
  • its Mausolée, on the model of that of Auguste
  • to Tivoli, the villa which bears its name
and in the provinces:
  • large thermal baths of Leptis Magna
  • the Hadrian's Wall
  • Olympeion of Athens: started into 515 before J. - C., taken again in 174 av. J. - C., the construction of this temple to colossal dimensions will be finally completed into 125 per Hadrian.
  • etc

Its private life

For his relaxation, Hadrian was made build close to Tibur (Tivoli) a sumptuous villa, called the Villa of Hadrian, arranged and decorated in memories with his voyages in the Roman Empire.

Its love for the young person Antinoüs (or Antinoos), died in 130, pushed it to make it represent many times in statues, which sometimes reached us and allow us to give a face to famous Bithynien, like founding the city of Antinoë in Egypt. This relation was used as argument with its enemies

The historian Sextus Aurelius Victor (death after 390) written in his Book of Césars , chapter XIV: “ One it (Hadrian) finally saw seeking, with a scrupulous solicitude, all refinements of the luxury and pleasure. Consequently thousand noises ran to its shame: one showed it to have faded the honor of young boys, to have burned for Antinoüs of a passion against nature: it was there, said one, the only reason for which it had given the name of this teenager to a city that it had founded; it was for this reason that it had raised statues with this favorite. ”

Its succession

Married to Sabine, it does not have a child with it. Hadrian thus adopts Lucius Aelius Verus. This last receives the nickname of César. It is a curious choice. It is 35 years old and does not seem to be able. Indeed, its career is only civil and its health is delicate. It is possible that Hadrian wanted to choose a successor who calms the Senate. The senators do not appreciate angers of the emperor at the end of the reign. In 136, Hadrian makes assassinate Lucius Iulius Ursus Servianus which he suspects of wanting to replace Lucius by his large-wire Gnaeus Pedanius Fuscus. But Lucius dies on January 1st, 138.

The final adoptee is thus Aurelius Antoninus (more known under the name of Antonin the Piles ), which succeeded to him the head of the Roman Empire. This last is forced to adopt the future Marc-Aurèle and the son of fire Lucius Aelius Verus: Lucius Verus Commodus . Hadrian thus prepares two generations of emperors.

Its end

Hadrian dies into 138, after several years of suffering caused by the Arthrose. Its ashes were placed in the Mausolée of Hadrian. Its successor Antonin the Piles had to negotiate for six months with the Senate to obtain that Hadrian receives the Apothéose, so much the relationship between Hadrian and the Senate had become execrable.

Hadrian and literature

Poésie of Hadrian reached us only some Towards, among which its own epitaph:
comesque Animula uagula blandula
Hospes corporis
Quæ nunc abibis in loca
Pallidula rigida nudula
Nec C plates dabis iocos

What means:

“Âmelette wavelet, blanchelette,

Hostess and partner of my body,
Who soon will leave in lieux
Pâles, stiff and naked,
You will not give to it any more your set out again usual. ”

Ronsard will be inspired some in its Derniers towards .

Marguerite Yourcenar wrote a fictitious autobiography of the Roman Emperor entitled the Mémoires of Hadrian , in 1951, a subtle psychological portrait where it put much of itself.

Names and titles

Successive names

  • 76, is born PVBLIVS•ÆLIVS•HADRIANVS (often francized in PVBLIVS•AELIVS•HADRIANVS)
  • 117, adopted by Trajan and accession with the Empire: IMPERATOR•CAESAR•TRAIANVS•HADRIANVS•AVGVSTVS

Titles and magistratures

Titulature with its death

With its death in 138 its titulature was:
IMPERATOR•CAESAR•TRAIANVS•HADRIANVS•AVGVSTVS, PONTIFEX•MAXIMVS, TRIBVNICIAE•POTESTATIS•XXII, IMPERATOR•II, CONSVL•III, LORD'S PRAYER•PATRIAE
Note : Hadrian was divinized by the Sénat.

Play on Hadrian

  • Patrick Receiver, Princeps Optimus, a difficult beginning of reign , re-examined Vae Victis, n° 69, July-August 2006.

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