Table of Contents

Preface. List of illustrations. List of maps. Introduction: The Emperor Hadrian. 1. A Childhood in Flavian Rome 2. The Old Dominion 3. The Military Tribune 4. Principatus et Libertas 5. The Young General 6. Archon at Athens 7. The Parthian War 8. The New Ruler 9. Return to Rome 10. To the German Frontier 11. Hadrian's Wall 12. A New Augustus 13. Return to the East 14. A Summer in Asia 15. A Year in Greece 16. Pater Patriae 17. Africa 18. Hadrianus Olympius 19. Death in the Nile 20. Athens and Jerusalem 21. The Bitter End Epilogue: Animula Vagula Blandula Stemma. Abbreviations and Notes. Bibliography. Index: (Persons; Peoples & Places; Subject)

About the Author

Anthony R. Birley is Professor of Ancient History at the University of Dusseldorf. He was previously Professor of Ancient History at Manchester University. His previous books include three on Roman Britain as well as biographies of Marcus Aurelius and Septimius Severus.

Reviews

'Birley has certainly done [Hadrian] justice in this finely detailed, scholarly and closely argued biography ... This is a superb addition to the excellent Routledge series of imperial biographies.' - Peter Jones, Literary Review

'Birley is scrupulous. His grasp of epigraphy and numismatics, his diligence in flowing the vestiges of imperial travel, and his patent sense of fairness in evaluating the scappy ancient literature on Hadrian enable him to construct a narrative of the Emperor's life which renders all previous efforts obsolescent.' - Nigel Spivey, Times Literary Supplement

'A learned yet very readable book.' - JACT Review

'Birley's book is essential for the Hadrian researcher.' - Gay Times

'An excellent, and long overdue, biography ofone of the greatest amd most accomplished of the Roman emperors.' - Kirkus Reviews

'Elegantly decked out with coin portraits, photographs, sculptures and maps, this readable bio will appeal to history buffs' - Publishers weekly

'Mr Birley is an excellent guide to the facts of Hadrian's career, and of the careers of many of his contemporaries' - Jasper Griffin, The Spectator 1997

'This book is well worth the price both to read and as a work of reference. It contains useful photographs, details abour coins, bibliography and index, and also contains excellent maps.' - Gay and Lesbian Humanist

Birley ia an excellent companion to the myth of a characteristically complex man' - The Herald (Glasgow)

'Birley brings this cipher to life with gusto, Hadrian's childhood and early career, his imperial reign and subsequent travels through every corner of his empire, step by step, stone by stone, until the redaer, too, is exhausted by Hadrian's (and Birley's) seemingly irrepressible energy' - Josephine Balmer, New Statesman and Society

"...This is a historical work that must rank amongst the most important biographies of the Roman emperors; it deserves to be read as much for its account of Hadrian's restless travelling through the provinces as for its analysis of policies and matters of state." - British Archaelogy

'Birley has now produced a volume rich in detail, imaginative in interpretation, sane and sensible in judgement. ...This is an extremely learned book, often challenging.' - The Classical Outlook/Fall 1998