Hadrian

Hadrian was born in Italica located in Hispania Baetica (Spain), which was a Roman province in the Iberian Peninsula. His father was the Hispano-Roman Publius Aelius Hadrianus Afer, who as a senator of praetorian rank would spend much of his time in Rome. Hadrian’s forefathers came from Hadria, modern Atri, an ancient town of Picenum in Italy. When he was 14, Hadrian was recalled by Trajan who thereafter looked after his development. He never returned to Hispania, although it was later made a colonia in his honor. His first military service was as a tribune of the Legio II Adiutrix. Later, he was to be transferred to the Legio I Minervia in Germany. When Nerva died in 98, Hadrian rushed to inform Trajan personally. He later became legate of a legion in Upper Pannonia and eventually governor of that province. Although Trajan never officially designated a successor, according to his wife, Pompeia Plotina, Trajan named Hadrian emperor immediately before his death. Trajan’s wife was well-disposed towards Hadrian: Hadrian may well have owed his succession to her.

The reign of Hadrian was marked by a general lack of major military conflicts, apart from the Second Roman-Jewish War. He surrendered Trajan’s conquests in Mesopotamia, considering them to be indefensible. There was almost a war with Parthia around 121, but the threat was averted when Hadrian succeeded in negotiating a peace. The peace policy was strengthened by the establishment of permanent fortifications along the empire’s borders. The most famous of these is the massive Hadrian’s Wall in Great Britain, and the Danube and Rhine borders were strengthened with a series of mostly wooden fortifications, forts, outposts and watchtowers, the latter specifically improving communications and local area security.

Second Roman-Jewish War

In 130, Hadrian visited the ruins of Jerusalem, in Judaea, left after the First Roman-Jewish War of 66-73 AD. He rebuilt the city, renaming it Aelia Capitolina after himself and Jupiter Capitolinus, the chief Roman deity. A new temple dedicated to the worship of Jupiter was built on the ruins of the old Jewish Second Temple, which had been destroyed in 70 AD. In addition, Hadrian abolished circumcision, which was considered by Romans and Greeks as a form of bodily mutilation and hence "barbaric". These anti-Jewish policies of Hadrian triggered a massive Jewish uprising in Judaea in 132 AD, initiating the Second Roman-Jewish War. The revolt was led by Simon bar Kokhba and Akiba ben Joseph. In order to quell the Jewish rebellion, Hadrian called his general Sextus Julius Severus from Britain as troops were brought from as far as the Danube. After three years of ferocious and savage battles, Hadrian’s army put down the rebellion in 135 AD. According to Cassius Dio, during the war 580,000 Jews were killed, 50 fortified towns and 985 villages razed. The final battle took place in Beitar, a fortified city 10 km. southwest of Jerusalem. The city only fell after a lengthy siege, and Hadrian only allowed the Jews to bury their dead after a period of six days.

Final Days of Hadrian

Because of diseases which he may have gotten during his long journeys, Hadrian’s final days were a grim affair. He became eve more ill and spent extended periods in severe distress. As he sought to end his life with either a blade or poison, his servants grew ever more vigilant to keep such items from his grasp. At one point he even convinced a barbarian servant by name of Mastor to kill him. But at the last moment Mastor failed to obey. Despairing, Hadrian left government in the hands of Antoninus Pius, and retired, dying soon afterwards at the pleasure resort of Baiae on 10 July AD 138.