Hadrian

Alayna Choo April 9, 2012 Hadrian Word count: 520 **Hadrian** Greatness is defined on a large spectrum. To be considered “ great ”, a leader must have expertise in military, social, and cultural areas of their realm. Hadrian ruled the Roman Empire from 117-138 A.D. He succeeded the emperor Trajan, who ruled the Roman Empire while it was at its largest. Hadrian contributed heavily to Rome's greatness by exemplifying the qualities of a great leader. He was a great leader because of his military strategizing expertise and the interest he showed in people of his empire. Though Hadrian was a great leader, he did have some failures, such as his violent response to the Second Jewish Revolt. The revolt occurred in 132 because the Jews resented the Roman rule of Judaea because Hadrian and the Roman governor of Jerusalem had banned some Jewish practices such as circumcision. [1] Hadrian sent in an army to crush the revolt; very few survived. According to historian Cassius Dio, 985 villages were destroyed and 580,000 men were killed during the revolt. [2] This unnecessary violence toward the Jews may be considered a failure and a weakness in Hadrian ’ s otherwise superior career as Emperor. Hadrian ’ s strategic expertise combined with his dedication to military affairs made him one of the greatest military figures of all time. He demonstrated his expert militaristic strategy by constructing Hadrian ’ s Wall in 122. Building the wall was a smart move because Hadrian realized that attempts to subjugate the “ barbarians ” in Britain were useless, and a wall needed to be built instead of wasting resources to fight the nomads. [3] If Hadrian had not constructed the wall, the Romans would have lost valuable territory to the barbarians. Hadrian showed his dedication to his army by visiting sick soldiers, improving their arms and equipment, and even setting an example for them by walking, fully armed, alongside them for twenty miles. [4] His strategizing and support of the army allowed a period of military success during his reign. Hadrian ’ s greatness was also characterized by his dedication to the people of his empire. He showed a genuine interest in affairs occurring throughout his vast realm. For example, he traveled all throughout the Roman Empire, from the European mainland to Africa, constructing buildings and hosting games wherever he traveled. [5] He cared much for the interests of the people, such as the arts (an expert himself in geometry, math, and painting). [6] He was dedicated to making life better for the citizens of the Empire by improving the justice system. He gave more rights to slaves, such as not laying immediate blame on them if their masters were killed, and he made sure that he understood a judge ’ s court ruling to ensure that it was fair. [7] His investment in the lives of Roman citizens made him a great, well-liked leader. Hadrian was able to contribute much to the Roman Empire because he displayed the qualities of a great leader. His military expertise and interest in the lives of the people of his empire enabled him to accomplish great things in terms of protecting the empire and improving the lives of citizens. These accomplishments are what make Hadrian the greatest leader of all time.
 * Works cited**

Halsall, Paul. Fordham University, “Internet History Sourcebooks.” Accessed April 10, 2010. http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/ancient/aelius-hadrian.asp. **15** Root, Mary M. Virtual Museum of Surveying, "Roman Glory: Hadrian's Wall." Accessed April 10, 2012. http://www.surveyhistory.org/roman_glory_hadrian's_wall1.htm. **14** Encyclopædia Britannica Online, s. v. "Second Jewish Revolt," accessed April 10, 2012, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/303635/Second-Jewish-Revolt. **16**

World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras, s.v. "Cassius Dio: quote on Emperor Hadrian suppressing the second Jewish revolt," accessed April 10, 2012. http://ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/. **15**

[1] Encyclopædia Britannica Online, s. v. "Second Jewish Revolt," accessed April 10, 2012, http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/303635/Second-Jewish-Revolt. [2] World History: Ancient and Medieval Eras, s.v. "Cassius Dio: quote on Emperor Hadrian suppressing the second Jewish revolt," accessed April 10, 2012. http://ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/. [3] Root, Mary M. Virtual Museum of Surveying, "Roman Glory: Hadrian's Wall." Accessed April 10, 2012. http://www.surveyhistory.org/roman_glory_hadrian's_wall1.htm. [4] Halsall, Paul. Fordham University, “Internet History Sourcebooks.” Accessed April 10, 2010. http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/ancient/aelius-hadrian.asp. [5] Ibid. [6] Ibid. [7] Ibid.