Hadrian Facts & Worksheets

Roman Emperor Hadrian, who ruled from 117 to 138 CE, was well-known for building Hadrian’s Wall across Northern England, symbolizing the northern limit of the Roman Empire. He is also renowned for his cultural patronage, Philhellenism, and the architectural projects that left a lasting legacy across the Roman world.

See the fact file below for more information about the Roman Emperor Hadrian, or you can download our 29-page Hadrian worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

BACKGROUND

• Hadrian, or Publius Aelius Hadrianus, was born on January 24, 76 CE. 
• He came from a well-established Roman family with roots in Italica in Hispania Baetica, near modern Seville, Spain, a Roman province at the time.
• While not traditionally a part of the aristocratic patrician class of Rome, his family had gained prominence and were considered part of the societal elite. 
• Hadrian’s father, Publius Aelius Hadrianus Afer, was a senator and a cousin to Emperor Trajan, and his mother, Domitia Paulina, came from a distinguished family. 
• Hadrian had an elder sister named Aelia Domitia Paulina. 
• Tragically, Hadrian became an orphan at the age of 10. 
• His father’s death led Trajan, who had no children, and another relative, Publius Acilius Attianus, to become his joint guardians. 
• When Hadrian was 14, Trajan called him to Rome to pursue his education and get subjects a young Roman aristocrat should take. 
• His affection for Greek literature and culture earned him the nickname “Graeculus,” meaning “little Greek.” 
• After completing his initial education, Hadrian began his rise through the traditional Roman political and military ranks. 
• He served as a military tribune, a position frequently held by aspiring politicians to gain necessary military experience. 
• Throughout his early adult life, Hadrian traveled extensively and held various positions that broadened his administrative and military experience. 
• This period included a stint as a legionary legate, governing a province in Pannonia, and being a member of various priestly colleges, integral to the Roman religious and political framework. 
• Hadrian also took an active role during the First and Second Dacian Wars (101–102 and 105–106 CE) under Trajan, contributing to his reputation as a capable military leader.
• His close relationship with Trajan and his successful public and army service laid the groundwork for his eventual adoption by Trajan as heir to the throne. 

HADRIAN AND HIS PUBLIC SERVICE

• Before becoming Emperor, Hadrian held several notable positions within the Roman Empire, encompassing military, administrative, and religious duties and cursus honorum‘s essential positions. 
• Hadrian’s military service began with a traditional starting point for many Roman aristocrats aspiring for public office, namely the role of military tribune. 
• This experience allowed him to develop leadership skills and military acumen. 
• Additionally, his participation in the Dacian Wars as a legionary legate would have given him significant experience and contributed to his reputation as a military leader. 
• Hadrian’s administrative experience was enhanced by his role as a provincial governor in Pannonia, where he would have been responsible for the day-to-day running of the province, including tax collection, law and order, and defense against potential threats. 
• This role also allowed him to observe and manage the complexities of Roman provincial administration directly. 
• Throughout his political career, Hadrian advanced through various positions of authority. 
• He held posts such as quaestor, financial administrator, praetor, a senior magistrate responsible for civil jurisdiction, and eventually the consulship, one of the highest-ranking elected positions in the Roman Republic and later the Empire.
• Each of these roles prepared him for future leadership by providing experience in governance, law, and the functioning of the state.  
• In his religious capacities, Hadrian was involved in several priestly colleges, including the College of Pontiffs. 
• Membership in these bodies elevated one’s social and political standing and played a crucial role in maintaining religious and moral order in Rome, issues deeply intertwined with the political structure. 
• Hadrian’s service under Emperor Trajan also greatly facilitated his rise. 
• Trajan valued Hadrian’s skills and ensured that he was given opportunities to showcase his abilities. 
• His growing influence and the breadth of his civic experience eventually led Trajan to adopt Hadrian as his heir. 
• This provided Hadrian with the necessary legitimacy to succeed Trajan and played a significant role in his ascent to the imperial position. 

HADRIAN AS EMPEROR

• Hadrian’s succession to the role of Emperor in 117 CE and his subsequent life as the Roman leader is marked by both continuity and innovation concerning his predecessor, Trajan.
• Hadrian was not the apparent successor to Trajan, as he was not a part of the aristocratic class by birth.
• However, his adoption by Trajan, which was standard for emperors to ensure a smooth transition, provided him with legitimacy.
• Speculation suggests Hadrian’s adoption may have been announced just before Trajan’s death, possibly without his full consent, indicating the influence of key figures like Trajan’s wife, Plotina, and Hadrian’s guardian, Publius Acilius Attianus.
• When Trajan died, Hadrian was in Antioch, and after his adoption was recognized, the Senate confirmed his role as Trajan’s successor.
• Upon accession, Hadrian quickly secured his power base.
• He sought to appease the military by providing a donative, a customary monetary gift.
• He also ordered the execution of four leading senators accused of plotting against him to stifle opposition, which remains a controversial aspect of his reign.
• This swift action signaled his determination to control the political landscape.
• Hadrian’s approach focused on administration over expansion.
• He traveled extensively, visiting almost every province of the Empire to understand regional issues better, oversee legal reform, and improve provincial administration.
• He aimed to fortify and define the Empire’s boundaries rather than expand them aggressively.
• The most tangible symbol of Hadrian’s consolidation policy was the construction of Hadrian’s Wall, which marked the northern boundary of Britannia (Roman Britain). 
• The wall was built for defense and to control trade and migration.
• His reign is distinguished by his great love and support for Greek culture, a philosophy known as Philhellenism. 
• Hadrian’s extensive travels across the Empire allowed him to personally inspect and improve various regions’ defensive fortifications and infrastructure. 
• He sponsored numerous building projects in Rome and throughout the Empire, including temples, libraries, and public spaces, enriching cultural life. 
• He engaged in substantial building projects in Rome and throughout the Empire, including rebuilding the Pantheon.
• His architectural legacy is evident in the numerous construction projects he sponsored, including the impressive villa complex near Tivoli known as Hadrian’s Villa.
• Hadrian showed religious tolerance and integrated local religious customs into the imperial cult. 
• Despite this tolerance, he is also known for the Bar Kokhba revolt in Judea, where the Jews rebelled against Roman rule, resulting in massive destruction and loss of life. 
• One of the most personal aspects of Hadrian’s leadership was his relationship with Antinous. 
• After Antinous’s mysterious death in Egypt, Hadrian deified him, creating a cult that spread across the Empire and ensured his beloved’s memory remained. 
• He initiated significant legal reforms to standardize and codify Roman law. 
• Hadrian’s legal reforms aimed to provide a more consistent and predictable legal system across the vast territories of the Roman Empire. 
• This system contributed to the stability and coherence of the legal framework, reinforcing the functioning of the state and ensuring the fair administration of justice. 
• Hadrian’s reign saw a shift in Roman foreign policy towards diplomacy and consolidation of existing territories. 
• He was known for his diplomacy, often resolving potential conflicts through negotiations and treaties rather than military conquest. 

HADRIAN AND HIS MARRIAGE

• Hadrian was married to Vibia Sabina. 
• She was born around 83 CE and was a member of the ruling class—both a patrician and a member of an Imperial family. 
• Vibia Sabina was the daughter of Salonina Matidia, niece of the Roman Emperor Trajan, and suffect consul Lucius Vibius Sabinus. 
• Before Hadrian acceded to the throne around 100 CE, their marriage was more a product of political convenience than a match of love.
• Such arrangements were standard among the Roman elite as they solidified alliances and aided one’s career advancement. 
• Hadrian further aligned himself with Emperor Trajan through this union, becoming a part of the extended Imperial family. 
• Vibia Sabina’s connection with the ruling Emperor Trajan would have presumably helped Hadrian in his path to succession. 
• Historical accounts report that the marriage was unhappy and that Hadrian treated Vibia Sabina with little affection. 
• No children were born from the union, and in historical narratives, Vibia Sabina is often painted as having lived in the shadow of her husband’s prominent career and engaged in very few public roles or activities independently of him. 
• Despite the speculated personal dissatisfaction Sabina may have faced in her marriage, she accompanied Hadrian on his extensive travels across the Empire. 
• She appeared on coinage, one of the ways an empress could be presented as an imperial consort during that time. 
• After her death, Hadrian deified her, and she was worshipped as a divine figure for her Imperial status and connection.

HADRIAN’S DEATH

• Hadrian died on July 10, 138 CE, at his villa in Baiae, near Naples, at the age of 62, of heart failure or possibly a hemorrhage. 
• His health had been declining for several years before his death, with chronic issues exacerbated by a life of extensive travel and the stress of governance. 
• In his final years, Hadrian suffered from heart failure, further complicated by depression. 
• Ancient sources report that his suffering from illness was so great that he considered suicide; however, his servants and attendants would not assist him in this. 
• It is also said that he turned to his physician for poison, but again, he was refused. 
• According to the Historia Augusta, Hadrian tried to persuade his bodyguard to kill him by offering money, but this, too, was unsuccessful. 
• Hadrian’s relationship with the Senate deteriorated further during his illness, and their mutual hatred intensified. 
• He had previously executed four consulars without a trial, which had damaged his relationship with the institution. 
• In his last year, he had the former consul Pedanius Fuscus executed, which contributed to the Senate’s hostility. 
• To secure a smooth transition of power, Hadrian adopted Titus Aurelius Fulvus Boionius Arrius Antoninus, known as Antoninus Pius, in 138 CE, under the condition that Antoninus adopt Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus as his sons and successors. 
• This succession line would stabilize the Empire after Hadrian’s death.  
• Though not immediately after his death, the Senate deified Hadrian, as Antoninus Pius had to persuade them to confer divine honors upon Hadrian.
• Eventually, Hadrian came to be worshipped as a god within the Roman Pantheon, and his burial first took place at Puteoli, near Baiae.
• His remains were later reburied in Rome in a monumental mausoleum, the Castel Sant’Angelo. 
• His architectural legacy, administrative reforms, and the iconic Hadrian’s Wall in Britain are testimonies to his influential reign.

Hadrian Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about the Roman Emperor Hadrian across 29 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Hadrian. He is renowned for his cultural patronage, Philhellenism, and the architectural projects that left a lasting legacy across the Roman world.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. Hadrian Facts
2. Memory Game
3. Hadrian’s Origin
4. True or False?
5. Hadrian’s Wall
6. Ruling Vocabulary
7. Hadrian’s Qualities
8. Significant Contributions
9. Remembering Hadrian
10. The Five Good Emperors
11. A Poem by Hadrian

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Emperor Hadrian?

Hadrian was a Roman Emperor who ruled from 117 to 138 AD. He is known for his contributions to architecture, particularly the construction of Hadrian’s Wall in Britain, and his passion for Greek culture.

What were Hadrian’s major achievements?

Hadrian’s rule saw the consolidation and fortification of the Roman Empire’s borders, particularly through the construction of Hadrian’s Wall in Britain and the strengthening of defenses along the Danube and Rhine rivers. He also initiated significant architectural projects, including the Pantheon in Rome and the Temple of Venus and Roma.

How did Hadrian influence Roman culture?

Hadrian was a patron of the arts and a lover of Greek culture. He promoted Greek literature, philosophy, and art throughout the Roman Empire, fostering a period known as the “Second Sophistic.” His interest in Hellenism led to the spread of Greek influence in Roman society.

What was Hadrian’s impact on religion?

Hadrian was known for his religious policies, which included the suppression of certain religious practices deemed incompatible with Roman values. He also played a significant role in the development of the cult of the emperor, establishing himself as a divine figure in the Roman pantheon.

How was Hadrian remembered after his death?

Hadrian’s reign was generally viewed positively by later historians, who praised his administrative abilities and his efforts to maintain the stability of the empire. He is often remembered as one of the “Five Good Emperors” of the Roman Empire, a period known for relative peace and prosperity. Additionally, his architectural legacy, including structures like the Pantheon, continues to be admired to this day.

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