Although Hadrian was not tolerant of certain religious groups throughout his reign, he belongs in the Hall of Fame because he focused on consolidation rather than expansion, united the empire using architecture, and showed interest in people of all social classes.
Hadrian was born in Spain in 76 CE and rose through the ranks of Roman politics and military, partly due to his relationship with Trajan. After Hadrian's father died in 85 AD, Hadrian was entrusted to the care of two men. One of them, a cousin of his father, later became emperor Trajan. As an adopted son of Trajan, Hadrian would go on to rule the Roman Empire from 117 CE to 138 CE, a time that was still considered in the Pax Romana. Hadrian, one of the “Five Good Emperors”, was a …show more content…
One of Hadrian’s biggest achievements while in power of the Roman Empire was when he “ordered the construction of a great frontier wall” to protect Roman settlements from the Caledonians (Spencer C. Tucker). Hadrian’s wall extended from coast to coast across the width of northern Britain and ran for 73 miles from Wallsend to Bowness (Hadrian’s Wall). This massive structure kept the Roman empire safe from the threats coming from the British, therefore ensuring safety to the Roman Empire and its inhabitants. Not only did Hadrian build a massive wall to protect his people, but he also kept his army in fighting shape and ready for an eventual war by establishing regular drill routines for the troops and conducting personal inspections. By investing time and effort in keeping a healthy army, Hadrian clearly showed his people how much he cared about their safety. Hadrian did not like war, but was always ready to defend his territory. By keeping his army in shape and building protective walls, Hadrian ensured safety to his people and consolidated the territory of the Roman …show more content…
Hadrian’s greatest architectural accomplishments were the “building of the Pantheon, the Castel Sant' Angelo and his villa” (Hadrian). With their amazing architecture, these impressive buildings are still nowadays one of the top attractions in Rome. Another one of Hadrian’s great architectural accomplishments is the library of Hadrian in Athens, which was part of his struggle to rebuild the Greek city. New public buildings like these and religious monuments helped spread prosperity and create a common identity throughout the empire. In other words, not only did Hadrian build great works of art to improve architecture, but he also built to unite the people of his empire under his rule. Hadrian’s love and admiration for Greek culture had a huge impact on the style of the buildings he constructed, therefore causing a widespread change in Roman architecture. By transforming the Roman Empire with extraordinary works of art, Hadrian united the empire under his
Hadrian was born in Spain in 76 CE and rose through the ranks of Roman politics and military, partly due to his relationship with Trajan. After Hadrian's father died in 85 AD, Hadrian was entrusted to the care of two men. One of them, a cousin of his father, later became emperor Trajan. As an adopted son of Trajan, Hadrian would go on to rule the Roman Empire from 117 CE to 138 CE, a time that was still considered in the Pax Romana. Hadrian, one of the “Five Good Emperors”, was a …show more content…
One of Hadrian’s biggest achievements while in power of the Roman Empire was when he “ordered the construction of a great frontier wall” to protect Roman settlements from the Caledonians (Spencer C. Tucker). Hadrian’s wall extended from coast to coast across the width of northern Britain and ran for 73 miles from Wallsend to Bowness (Hadrian’s Wall). This massive structure kept the Roman empire safe from the threats coming from the British, therefore ensuring safety to the Roman Empire and its inhabitants. Not only did Hadrian build a massive wall to protect his people, but he also kept his army in fighting shape and ready for an eventual war by establishing regular drill routines for the troops and conducting personal inspections. By investing time and effort in keeping a healthy army, Hadrian clearly showed his people how much he cared about their safety. Hadrian did not like war, but was always ready to defend his territory. By keeping his army in shape and building protective walls, Hadrian ensured safety to his people and consolidated the territory of the Roman …show more content…
Hadrian’s greatest architectural accomplishments were the “building of the Pantheon, the Castel Sant' Angelo and his villa” (Hadrian). With their amazing architecture, these impressive buildings are still nowadays one of the top attractions in Rome. Another one of Hadrian’s great architectural accomplishments is the library of Hadrian in Athens, which was part of his struggle to rebuild the Greek city. New public buildings like these and religious monuments helped spread prosperity and create a common identity throughout the empire. In other words, not only did Hadrian build great works of art to improve architecture, but he also built to unite the people of his empire under his rule. Hadrian’s love and admiration for Greek culture had a huge impact on the style of the buildings he constructed, therefore causing a widespread change in Roman architecture. By transforming the Roman Empire with extraordinary works of art, Hadrian united the empire under his