| Example of the most wide roman coins, this sestertius was coined in Rome mint
during Emperor Hadrianus reign. On the obverse side there is the Hadrian graduated head and the letters: HADRIANUS AVG COSIIIPP
(Hadrianus Augustus, 3 time Consul, Pater Patriae (Father of Homeland),
on reverse side there is the Fortuna goddes stand up figure, holding patera and cornucopia, the S and C letters mean Senatus Consulto (Senate
Decree); low visibles around the figure are the letters: FORTUNA AVG.
* Hadrian was Roman Emperor from 117 to 138 AD. He was born in Italic, a little town in Spain, from a well-to-do family.
His father, Publius Elius Afro, was a Traian relative. Hadrian advent in power was consequent to a presumed appointment
by dying Traian. In any case the Army ratification acclaimed him new emperor in year 117. The rapid escalation to power,
followed by phisic elimination of the main possible opponents, bringed about a quick installation
followed by a
constant reinforcement that continued during all the period of twenty years in which Hadrian remained in power.
He was one of the well considered roman emperors, not killed in a conspiracy. Also his successor appointment and his
installation, after Hadrian death, wasn't troubled. He gived up the Traian conquests in Mesopotamia, considering them
not defendible, in consequence to the enormous distances from the emperor center, and to the necessary logistic effort
to send supplies in that countries. The Hadrian politics was directed to reinforce emperor borders and make them tenable
keeping an eye on the costs. He devoted himself to the empire and emperor power reinforcemet, to the burocracy
improvement, He travelled continuously, visiting all the districts, he ordered the Hadrain Wall building on border between Britain and
Scotland. In order to maintain high the troops morale and not to leave them too much independent, Hadrian established
intense plans of training, inspecting the Legions during of its continues travels. Since it was not incline, already from
the times of the Dacia campaigns, to distinguish itself for particular luxury, He was moving on horse and he was sharing
in all the Legionaries rude life. Naturally when needed Hadrian was able to transform himself in an effective
commander, like when he had to suppress the hebrews rebellion in Judea. Emperor Hadrian was humanist, deeply Hellenism fan in his
likes. A lot well-known was his sentimental tie with a yang greek named Antinoo. In 130, during a jurnay in Egypt, Antinoo misteriously
falled in the Nyle and drowned. Many duobts was raised on his death but the question remained always obscure, and can't
be possible to define if was sucide or murder. Hadrian was overwhelm by the sorrow and in honor of his death friend founded the egyptian
town of Antinopolis, in which he made be builded a temple dedicated to deified Antinoo adoration, assimilated to egyptian god
Osiris. For the rest of his one's life Hadrian ordered hundreds (perhaps thousands) of Antinoo statues. In 135
Hadrian came
definitively in Rome, and feeling himself near the death he act to find a successor. At the end he adopted Titus Elius
Antoninus, appointing him like new Emperor. Sick of hydropsy Hadrian died in 138 AD after a lot of toment and sufferings
causated by the illness. |
