1. The Emperor Hadrian
By: Mounia Amani, Caroline Chong, Kayla Eleftheriou, and Jessica Venturina

2. Birth and Family Hadrian was born on January 24, 76 AD
Father: Aelius Hadrianus After; Roman senator and the cousin of Emperor Trajan
Mother: Domitia Paulina Gades

3. EARLY LIFE
Schooled in the subjects related to young aristocrats during his time.
Left his home at the age 14 to go join his uncle Trajan in the military.
His father died in 85 AD, and Hadrian became the protector of Emperor Trajan and Acilius Attianus

4. APPEARANCE & PERSONALITY
First emperor to have a beard.
Tall, elegant and strong
Clever, intellectually competitive, politically smart.
Never relaxed
A witty man, a storyteller
A drinker

5. MILITARY
Hadrian wasn’t really known for being a vicious or malicious ruler.
He lacked major military conflicts.
Except for the 2nd Roman-Jewish War.
He preferred peace over war and always tried to negotiate, like he did with Parthia.
“Peace through strength.”

6. EMPIRE
Traveled broadly, inspecting and correcting the legions in the field.
Hadrian was always making new projects, structures, and settlements.
But, unlike other emperors he did not kick out people (conquer) from their land. He simply used all the vacant land he found or saw.
His intention was to strengthen and build the empire from improved infrastructure.

7. ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Around 122 A. D., Hadrian ordered his soldiers to build a wall between Roman Britain and Scotland.
Hadrian’s Wall, made of all stone, 11 feet high and stretching 73 miles, was his biggest accomplishment and took about 6 years to complete.
This wall was the strength to maintain peace.
Hadrian had aqueducts, bathhouses, theaters and libraries built.
He was really the image of an ideal king and always got the affections of his people. (donations, gladiator games)

8. Taking Control of the Empire
WEAKNESS
Taking Control of the Empire
Trajan was Roman emperor from 98 AD until his death in 117 AD
It was through Hadrian’s guardian Attianus and Trajan’s wife, Plotina, that Hadrian became emperor when Trajan died
Hadrian was not appointed as Trajan’s successor, so a plan was possibly assembled
Hadrian did not wait for the Senate’s approval to start governing the Roman empire

9. Conflicts with the Jews
WEAKNESS
Conflicts with the Jews
allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem and granted permission for rebuilding their Holy Temple
However, Hadrian soon requested that the site of the temple
would be moved
he started deporting Jews to North Africa
banned Jews from circumcisions

10. Conflicts with the Jews (cont.)
WEAKNESS
Conflicts with the Jews (cont.)
Hadrian had people killed when they were thought to be threatening
Hadrian started building a temple to Jupiter on the foundations of the Jewish Holy Temple
He discriminated religious Jews
Made anti-religious orders forbidding meetings in synagogues and other ritual practices

11. Contributions to Roman Life
He created a safe place where the Romans could live without worry.
He negotiated with other places to ensure that there would be no attacks.
There were no major conflicts apart from the Second Roman-Jewish war.

12. Contribution to Culture
Hadrian liked demonstrating knowledge to artistic fields.
He loved to write poetry in both Greek and Latin.
He contributed the beard, which symbolizes Philhellenism.

13. Sustaining Rome
Hadrian did a great job of sustaining Rome because he was able to keep trouble (war and attacks) out of rome.
He created a strong army to protect his empire.
Made art and architecture a major part of Roman culture.

14. DEATH AND SUCCESSION
Died on July 10,138 AD at the age of 62 ; possibly of heart disease.
Romans built a temple in the Campus Martius after his death- part of it survived
He had no children from his marriage.