The Roman Series: Who was Emperor Hadrian?
Hadrian was born on 24 January 76, probably in Italy (near modern Seville) in the Roman province of Hispania Baetica. He was named Publius Aelius Hadrianus after his father. His father was a senator of praetorian rank. Hadrian's mother was Domitia Paulina, daughter of a distinguished Hispano-Roman senatorial family from Gades (Cádiz). Childhood Hadrian's father was thus a senator and would have spent much of his time in Rome. Trajan was Hadrian's father's first cousin. In 86, Hadrian's parents died. He was then only ten years old. He and his sister became wards of Trajan. Hadrian enjoyed hunting. When he was 14, Trajan ordered him to Rome and arranged his further education to become a young Roman aristocrat. Hadrian had an enthusiasm for Greek literature and culture, which gave him the nickname: Graeculus ("Greekling"). Emperor Hadrian @ Louvre in France Source picture: Wikipedia Love and Marriage Hadrian married Trajan's seventeen or eighteen-y