A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

322 HADRIANUS. HADRIANUS.
were dispersed through the world. After the he had sent for, he died on the 10th of July, 138,
close of the Jewish war another threatened to at the age. of 63, and after a reign of nearly twenty
break out with the Albanians, who had been insti- years. He was buried in the villa of Cicero, near
gated by Pharasmanes, king of the Iberians. But Puteoli. The senate, indignant at the many acts
the rich presents which Hadrian made to the Alba- of cruelty of which he had been guilty during the
nians and Iberians averted the outbreak, and Pha- last period of his life,, wanted to annul his enact —
rasmanes even paid a visit to Hadrian at Rome. ments, and refused him the title of Divus, but AnIn the meantime, probably in the autumn of toninus prevailed upon the senate to be lenient
A. D. 132, Hadrian had again gone to Athens, towards the deceased, who during the latter part of,
where he stayed during the whole of the year fol- his life had not been in the full possession of his
lowing. From a letter of Hadrian, addressed to his mind. A temple was then erected as a monument:
brother-in-law, Servianus, and preserved by Vo- on his tomb, and various institutions were made to
piscus (Saturnin. 8), we must infer that in 134 the commemorate his memory. Antoninus is said by
emperor again visited Alexandria in Egypt, and, some to owe his surname of Pius to these exertions
on his return through Syria, where he attended of filial love towards his adoptive father.
the sale of the Jews who had been made prisoners The above is a brief sketch of the events of the
in the war, superintended the building of the life and reign of Hadrian; and it now remains to
colony at Jerusalem, and regulated its constitution. offer a few observations on his policy, the principles
After his return to Rome, Hadrian spent the re- of his government, his personal character, his inmaining years of his life partly in the city and fluence upon art and literature, and his own literary
partly at Tibur, where he built or completed his productions, so far as they are known to us. The
magnificent villa, the ruins of which occupy even reign of Hadrian was one of peace, and may be
now a space equal to that of a considerable town. regarded as one of the happiest periods in Roman
The many fatigues and hardships to which he had history. His policy, in reference to foreign nations,
been exposed during his travels had impaired his was to preserve peace as much as possible, not to
health, and he sank into:a dangerous illness, which extend the boundaries of the empire, but to secure
led him to think of fixing upon a successor, as he the old provinces, and promote their welfare, by a
had himself no children. After some hesitation, wise and just administration. For this reason he
he adopted L. Ceionius Commodus, under the name gave up the eastern conquests of Trajan, and would
of L. Aelius Verus, and raised him to the rank of have given up Dacia also, had it not been for the
Caesar, probably for no other reason than his numerous Roman citizens who had taken up their
beauty; for Ceionius Commodus had formerly been residence there. This general peace of the reign of
connected with Hadrian in the same manner that Hadrian, however, was not the result of cowardice,
Antinous was afterwards connected with him. The or of jealousy of his predecessor, as'some of the
adoption had been made contrary to the advice of ancients asserted, but the fruit of a wise political
all his friends, and those who had most strongly system. HIadrian's presents and kindness to the
opposed it appeared to Hadrian in no other light barbarians would not have been sufficient to ward
than that of personal enemies. Servianus, who off their attacks, but the frontiers of the empire
was then in his 90th year, and his grandson were guarded by armies which were in the most
Fuscus, were the principal objects of his suspicions, excellent condition, for the military system and disand both were put to- death' by his command. cipline introduced by Hadrian were so well devised,
Aelius Verus, however, who was entrusted with that his regulations remained in force for a long
the administration of Pannonia, did not afford time afterwards, and were regarded as law. With
Hadrian the assistance and support he had ex- regard, to the internal administration of the empire,
pected, for he was a person of a weakly consti- Hadrian was the first emperor that understood his
tution, and died on the 1st of January, A. D. 138. real position, and looked upon himself as the soHadrian now adopted Arrius Antoninus, afterwards vereign of the Roman world; for his attention was
surnamed Pius, and presented him to the senators engaged no less by the provinces than by Rome
assembled around his bed as his successor. But and Italy, and thus it happened that the monarchiHadrian, mindful of the more distant future, made cal system became more consolidated'under him
it the condition with Antoninus that he should than under any of his predecessors. He gained
at once adopt the son of Aelius Verus and M. An- the favour of the people by his great liberality, and
nius Verus (afterwards the emperor M. Aurelius). that of the senate by treating it with the utmost
These arrangements, however, did not restore peace deference, so far as form was concerned, for, in reto Hadrian's mind: as his- illness grew worse ality, the senate was no more than the organ of the
his suspicious and bitter feelings increased, and imperial will.: An institution which gradually deprompted him to many an act of cruelty; many prived the senate of its jurisdiction, and its share
persons of distinction were -put to death, and many in the government, was that of the consiliumn, or
others would have'been sacrificed in the same consistorium principis,' which had indeed existed
manner had they not been saved by the precautions before, but received its stability and organisation
of Antoninus Pius. The illness of which Hadrian from Hadrian. The political offices and those of
suffered was of a consumptive:nature, which was the court were regulated by Hadrian in a manner
aggravated by dropsy; and when he found that he which, with a few exceptions, remained unaltered
could not be saved, he requested a slave to run him till the. time of the great Constantine. The prae,
through with a sword; but this was prevented by fectus praetorio henceforth was the president of the
Antoninus, Several more attempts were made at state-council (consilium principis), and always a
suicide,. but in vain. At last he was conveyed to jurisconsult, so' that we may henceforth regard him
Baiae, where he hoped to find at least some relief, as a kind of minister of justice. Hadrian himself
and Antoninus remained behind at Rome as his paid particular attention to the proper exercise of
vicegerent. But his health did not improve; and jurisdiction in the provinces as well as in Italy:
Soon after the arrival -of Antoninus at Baiae, whom his reign forms an epoch in the history of Roman