Hadrian

P. Aelius Hadrianus

Dynasty: Adoptive and Antonine Dynasty

Hadrian was the cousin of his predecessor Trajan and married to Trajan's grand niece, Sabina. His succession, in AD 117, however, was rumoured to be the result of plotting by Plotina (Trajan's wife). It is possible that she hid the fact that Trajan had died until Hadrian was formally adopted. Hadrian certainly was of a different calibre than Trajan, and quickly relinquished Trajan's new conquests in Armenia and Parthia. Having secured the borders peacefully, Hadrian twice toured the provinces and was responsible for many improvements throughout the Empire, including Hadrian's Wall in northern Britannia. Towards the end of his reign he was faced with a serious revolt by the Jews in Palestina, which was successfully repressed. He forbade the Jews from entering Jerusalem and planted a new colony called Aelia Capitolina there instead. Hadrian initially groomed a successor in Lucius Aelius, despite his dubious character, but he died early in AD 138. In his place, a month later, Hadrian appointed Antoninus, soon to be called 'Pius', a wealthy Senator of good reputation. Hadrian died after a long illness on July 10th AD 138

Obverse Legends on coins depicting Hadrian

For explanations of many of the abbreviations used in Roman imperial obverse legends, click here.

• DIVO HADRIANO
• DIVVS HADRIANVS AVG
• HADRIANO TRAIANO CAESARI
• HADRIANVS AVG COS III
• HADRIANVS AVG COS III PP
• HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS
• HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS PP
• IMP CAE D TRA PAR F D NER N TRA HADRIANO AVG
• IMP CAE DI TRAIAN F DIV NER NEP TRA HADRIANO AVG
• IMP CAES DIVI TRA PARTH F DIVI NER NEP TRAIANO HADRIANO AVG
• IMP CAES DIVI TRAIAN AVG F TRAIAN HADRIAN OPT AVG GER
• IMP CAES HADRAINVS COS III PP
• IMP CAES HADRIAN DIVI NER TRAIAN OPT FIL
• IMP CAES TRA HADRIANO AVG PP
• IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIAN OPT AVG G D PAR
• IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIAN OPT AVG G D PART
• IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIAN OPT AVG G D PARTH
• IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIAN OPT AVG GER D PAR
• IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIAN OPT AVG GER DAC
• IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIANO AVG DIVI
• IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIANO AVG DIVI NER
• IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIANO AVG DIVI TRA
• IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIANO AVG DIVI TRA PARTH F
• IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIANO OPT AVG G D PAR
• IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIANO OPT AVG G D PART
• IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIANO OPT AVG G D PARTH
• IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIANO OPT AVG GER D PAR
• IMP CAES TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG
• IMP CAES TRAIANO HADRIANO AVG
• IMP CAES TRAIANO HADRIANO AVG PM TRP COS
• IMP CAESAR HADRIANVS AVG
• IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG
• IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG COS III PP
• IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG PP
• IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVG PP TRP COS III
• IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS
• IMP CAESAR TRAIAN HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS PP
• IMP CAESAR TRAIANVS HADRIANVS AVG
• IMP CAESAR TRAIANVS HADRIANVS AVG GE D P
• IMP CAESAR TRAIANVS HADRIANVS AVG GER DAC
• IMP CAESAR TRAIANVS HADRIANVS AVG PM TRP
• IMP CAESAR TRAIANVS HADRIANVS AVG PM TRP COS III

Coins of Hadrian currently available

	Hadrian Bronze as issued AD 128/129 Obv: HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS PP, Laureate head right Rev: COS III SC, Salus standing right, holding snake and feeding it from patera About Very Fine   |   AUD $110.00
	Hadrian, Pergamum Silver cistaphori issued AD 136 Obv: HADRIANVS AVGVSTVS PP, Bare head facing right Rev: COS III, Aesculapius standing left, leaning on serpent-entwined staff Very Fine   |   AUD $400.00