Week 5: Daily #10

Question: Why do many historians consider Hadrian to have been the "best emperor"?

Many historians believe that Hadrian was a very good and the “best emperor” for a number of reasons. First of all, he influenced the great architecture of Rome. He was responsible with the building of the Pantheon, one of the greatest Roman buildings of all time that is still standing today. He also ordered the Temple of Venus and Roma to be built, which was thought to be one of the biggest temples in Ancient Rome. But other than being emperor, Hadrian had a love for Greek culture. He admired all of Greece and he ordered a reconstruction of Athens with new temples and large buildings to make Athens the cultural center of the Ancient world. Many historians like Hadrian because of his taste for Greece, even though he was a Roman emperor. Also, Hadrian was deeply involved in the military. He wore military garments and sometimes even ate with his soldiers. He ordered deep military training for all of his soldiers in case there was an attack on Rome. In 121 A.D, Hadrian with his army almost had a war with Parthia, but Hadrian avoided it because he negotiated peace between the two. Hadrian developed a new peace policy after this. This policy though was further strengthened with one of his greatest accomplishments. He built the famous Hadrian’s Wall, which marked the northern boundary of the Roman army. This wall stretched 60 miles across Great Britain. Hadrian was also unique with his love for the arts. Hadrian loved the arts of Rome and he himself could write in Latin and also Greek. Hadrian also had a beard, where every emperor before him except Nero was clean-shaven. These are all good reasons why historians think of Hadrian as the best emperor, with his uniqueness, his versatility, and his way of doing various things.