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| The Emperor Hadrian |
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Hadrian born in Spain had a typical political career serving his emperor Trajan as a legionary tribune, legionary commander and provincial governor. Later he was adopted by Trajan and succeeded him in AD 117. First he had to secure his power in Rome before he could introduce his new policy. The political aims were completely contrary to those of the „Conquerer" Trajan.
He gave back the Eastern territories Mesopotamia, Syria and Parthia that were conquered by his predecessor because he thought it would go beyond the power of Rome. His aim was no more the expansion of the Roman Empire but to keep the "status quo". In AD 121 he started to travel all over the provinces to check the army. He wanted to keep peace by a well-trained and disciplined army and at the edges he developed frontier systems throughout the whole empire.
In Britain there were obviously threats at the beginning of Hadrian's reign indicated by the biographer mentioning that "the Britons could not
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| be kept under control". A coin issue from AD 119 showing Britannia implies a victory in this province.
However the Trajanic Stanegate system seemed to be no more sufficient. Probably Hadrian himself planned the most impressive frontier throughout the Empire in Britain. A stone-built barrier crossing the island from ocean to ocean.
In AD 122 Hadrian visited Britain, with him arriving the new governor Aulus Platorius Nepos and the legio VI Victrix. Possibly the building of Hadrian's Wall started still in AD 122 and the new governor had to survey the work on the frontier. There is no clear evidence when the curtain was finished, but certainly at the end of Hadrian's reign. |
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