HA'DRIAN (PUBLIUS JELITTS HADRIANUS) (76-138). A Roman Emperor (A.D. 117-138). He was horn in Rome. January 24, A.D. 76. Dur ing the reign of Trajan, who was his guard ian, and with whom he was connected by marriage. he filled several high offices in the State. He accompanied the Emperor in his wars against Decebalus, where he distinguished himself by his bravery; and in 117, when Trajan set out on his return to Italy from the East, he was left behind with the army as Gov ernor of the Province of Syria. When the intelli gence reached Antioch that Trajan had died in Cilicia on his journey home, Hadrian was pro claimed Emperor by the army (August 11, A.D. 117). The state of the Empire at the time was extremely critical. Insurrections had broken out in Egypt, Palestine, and Syria; Mcesia in the east and Mauritania in the west were both in vaded by barbarian hordes, while the Parthians had once more defied the Roman power and won several successes over the Imperial forces. Ha drian, perceiving the advantage of a peaceful pol icy, wisely resolved to limit the boundaries of the Roman dominion in the East, and concluded a peace with the Parthians, surrendering to them all the country beyond the Euphrates. In 118 he returned to Rome, established his authority by liberality toward the people, and suppressed with great severity a patrician conspiracy against his life'. The Roxolani, who had made an inroad into Mcesia, were by large gifts induced to retire. In the year 119 he set out on his long travels, visit ing Gaul, Germany, Britain (where he built the famous wall extending from the Solway to the Tyne), Spain, Mauritania, Egypt, Asia Minor, and Greece, whence he returned to Rome A.D. 126 or 127, and received the title of pater patrice, after which he resumed his travels through the Empire. He spent the years 132 and 133 in
Athens, for which city he had a great predilec tion. At this time occurred the great rising of the Jews under Bar-Cochba (q.v.). After once more visiting Syria Hadrian returned to Italy, and spent the last years of his life at Rome and Tibur (Tivoli). During the severe illness which carried him off, July 10, 138, at Baiw, he was subject to violent outbursts of cruelty, to which, as well as to jealousy and pleasure, he was naturally addicted. After the death of Lu cius Ceionius Commodus, whom he had adopted under the name of Lucius Mitts Verus. he ap pointed Titus Aurelius (afterwards the Emperor Antoninus Pius) his successor. During his reign the army was vigorously disciplined and re organized, while as a civil ruler he merits high praise for the just and comprehensive view he appears to have taken of his duties as a sover eign. To him is attributed, more than to any other, the consolidation of the monarchical sys tem of Rome. Hadrian divided Italy into four districts, in charge of men of consular rank, to whom he intrusted the administration of jus tice. He erected numerous splendid edifices, the chief of which were, in Rome, the Temple of Venus and Rome, the mausoleum called the Moles If adriani (now called Castel Sant' Angelo), the Alian Bridge leading to it, and the magnifi cent villa at Tibur. He likewise laid the founda tions of several cities, the most important of which was Hadrianopolis (Adrianople). Hadrian was a lover of fine arts, of poetry, philosophy, and rhetoric.