or HADRIAN, (Publius Aelius), the Roman emperor. He was born at Rome the 24th of January, in the 76th year of Christ. His father left him an orphan, at ten years of age, under the guardianship of Trajan, and Cælius Tatianus a Roman knight. He began to serve very early in the armies, having been tribune of a legion before the death of Domitian. He was the person chosen by the army of Lower Moesia, to carry the news of Nerva's death to Trajan, successor to the empire. He accompanied Trajan in most of his expeditions, and particularly distinguished himself in the second war against the Daci; and having before been quaestor, as well as tribune of the people, he was now successively prætor, governor of Pannonia, and consul. After the siege of Atra in Arabia was raised, Trajan, who had already given him the government of Syria, left him the command of the army; and at length, when he found death approaching, it is said he adopted him. Adrian, who was then in Antiochia, as soon as he received the news thereof, and of Trajan's death, declared himself emperor, on the 11th of August, 117. No sooner had he arrived at the imperial dignity, than he made peace with the Persians, to whom he yielded up great part of the conquests of his predecessors; and from generosity, or policy, he remitted the debts of the Roman people, which, according to the calculation of those who have reduced them to modern money, amounted to 22,500,000 golden crowns; and he burnt all the bonds and obligations relating to those debts, that the people might be under no apprehension of being called to an account for them afterwards. There are medals in commemoration of this fact, in which he is represented holding a flambeau in his hand, to set fire to all those bonds which he had made void. He went to visit all the provinces; and did not return to Rome till the year 118, when the senate decreed him a triumph, and honoured him with the title of Father of his country; but he refused both, and desired that Trajan's image might triumph. No prince travelled more than Adrian; there being hardly one province in the empire which he did not visit. In 120 he went into Gaul; from thence he went over to Britain, in order to subdue the Caledonians, who were making continual incursions into the provinces. Upon his arrival they retired towards the north; he advanced however as far as York, where he was diverted from his intended conquest by the description some old soldiers he found there, who had served under Agricola, gave him of the country. In hopes, therefore, of keeping them quiet by enlarging their bounds, he delivered up to the Caledonians all the lands lying between the two Friths and the Tyne; and at the same time, to secure the Roman province from their future incursions, built the famous wall which still bears his name (a). Having thus settled

(a) This work, though called by the Roman historians murus, which signifies a wall of stone, was only composed of earth covered with green turf. It was carried on from the Solway Frith, a little west of the village of Burgh on the Sands, in as direct a line as possible, to the river Tyne on the east, at the place where tled matters in Britain, he returned to Rome, where he was honoured with the title of Restorer of Britain, as appears by some medals. He soon after went into Spain, to Mauritania, and at length into the East, where he quieted the commotions raised by the Parthians. After having visited all the provinces of Asia, he returned to Athens in 125, where he passed the winter, and was initiated in the mysteries of Eleusinian Ceres. He went from thence to Sicily, chiefly to view mount Etna, contemplate its phenomena, and enjoy the beautiful and extensive prospect afforded from its top. He returned to Rome the beginning of the year 129; and, according to some, he went again, the same year, to Africa; and, after his return from thence, to the East. He was in Egypt in the year 132, revisited Syria the year following, returned to Athens in 134, and to Rome in 135. The persecution against the Christians was very violent under his reign; but it was at length suspended, in consequence of the remonstrances of Quadratus bishop of Athens, and Aristides, two Christian philosophers, who presented the emperor with some books in favour of the Christian religion. He conquered the Jews; and, by way of insult, erected a temple to Jupiter on Calvary, and placed a statue of Adonis in the manger of Bethlehem; he caused also the images of swine to be engraven on the gates of Jerusalem. At last he was seized with a dropsey, which vexed him to such a degree, that he became almost raving mad. A great number of physicians were sent for, and to the multitude of them he ascribed his death. He died at Baiae in the 63rd year of his age, having reigned 21 years. The Latin verses (a) he addressed to his soul have been much criticised and variously interpreted. There are some fragments of his Latin poems extant, and there are Greek verses of his in the Anthology. He also wrote the history of his own life: to which, however, he did not choose to put his name; but that of Phlegon, one of his freed-men, a very learned person, was prefixed to it*. He had great wit, and an extensive memory. He understood the sciences perfectly well; but was very jealous of others who excelled in them. He was also cruel, envious, and lascivious. Antoninus his successor obtained his apotheosis; and prevented the reification of his acts, which the senate once intended.