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Following Hadrian: A Second-Century Journey through the Roman Empire
One of the greatest--and most enigmatic--Roman emperors, Hadrian stabilized the imperial borders, established peace throughout the empire, patronized the arts, and built an architectural legacy that lasts to this the great villa at Tivoli, the domed wonder of the Pantheon, and the eponymous wall that stretches across Britain. Yet the story of his reign is also a tale of intrigue, domestic discord, and murder.
In Following Hadrian , Elizabeth Speller captures the fascinating life of Hadrian, ruler of the most powerful empire on earth at the peak of its glory. Speller displays a superb gift for narrative as she traces the intrigue of Hadrian's his calculated marriage to Emperor Trajan's closest female relative, a woman he privately tormented; Trajan's suspicious deathbed adoption of Hadrian as his heir, a stroke some thought to be a post-mortem forgery; and the ensuing slaughter of potential rivals by an ally of Hadrian's. Speller makes brilliant use of her sources, vividly depicting Hadrian's bouts of melancholy, his intellectual passions, his love for a beautiful boy (whose death sent him into a spiral), and the paradox of his general policies of peace and religious tolerance even as he conducted a bitter, three-year war with Judea.
Most important, the author captures the emperor as both a builder and an inveterate traveler, guiding readers on a grand tour of the Roman Empire at the moment of its greatest extent and accomplishment, from the barren, windswept frontiers of Britain to the teeming streets of Antioch, from the dangers of the German forest to the urban splendor of Rome itself.
In Following Hadrian , Elizabeth Speller captures the fascinating life of Hadrian, ruler of the most powerful empire on earth at the peak of its glory. Speller displays a superb gift for narrative as she traces the intrigue of Hadrian's his calculated marriage to Emperor Trajan's closest female relative, a woman he privately tormented; Trajan's suspicious deathbed adoption of Hadrian as his heir, a stroke some thought to be a post-mortem forgery; and the ensuing slaughter of potential rivals by an ally of Hadrian's. Speller makes brilliant use of her sources, vividly depicting Hadrian's bouts of melancholy, his intellectual passions, his love for a beautiful boy (whose death sent him into a spiral), and the paradox of his general policies of peace and religious tolerance even as he conducted a bitter, three-year war with Judea.
Most important, the author captures the emperor as both a builder and an inveterate traveler, guiding readers on a grand tour of the Roman Empire at the moment of its greatest extent and accomplishment, from the barren, windswept frontiers of Britain to the teeming streets of Antioch, from the dangers of the German forest to the urban splendor of Rome itself.
361 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
11 people are currently reading
224 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Speller
15 books123 followersElizabeth Speller is a poet and author of four non-fiction books including a biography of Emperor Hadrian, companion guides to Rome and to Athens, and a memoir, Sunlight on the Garden. She has contributed to publications as varied as the Financial Times, Big Issue and Vogue and produced the libretto for a requiem for Linda McCartney, Farewell, composed by Michael Berkeley (OUP). She currently has a Royal Literary Fund Fellowship at Warwick and divides her life between Gloucestershire and Greece. She was a prize-winner in both the Ledbury and Bridport poetry competitions in 2008, and her poem, 'Finistere' was shortlisted for the Forward Poetry Prize in 2009. More profitably she is also a ghost blogger.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
July 15, 2014
From the title I expected the whole book to be a travelogue of the philhellene Emperor Hadrian's many journeys through the empire. This was not quite accurate. Epigraphs began each chapter, alluding to the theme of each, then excerpts from the [fictitious] memoirs of Julia Balbilla, friend of Hadrian's disliked, if not hated, empress, Sabina. Julia accompanied them on their travels. There was a good deal of history and well-written info dumping, discussion of sites in Rome and ruins of those in other parts of the Roman empire and much speculation on what might have happened, since there is not much primary source material on Hadrian. The book did present Hadrian as a very complicated man, capable of kindness and of cruelty and coldness when it suited him. He could hold grudges for decades, at real or imagined slights and had a terrible quick temper. I did get a better picture of his personality.
My heart went out to the childless Sabina, who resented him for his attitude towards her at first; but to protect herself, it became the hard shell of indifference towards him. A marvelous fictional portrayal of the empress is given in the historical mystery Semper Fidelis; in it she plays an important role. Although Hadrian traveled to Greece, Judaea, and other places, much of the travel section was spent in Egypt, the land where his beloved male lover Antinous died. There was at least a whole chapter devoted to theories on his death and another on his possible final resting place. I enjoyed the chapters on the Pantheon and the extensive material on his villa at Tibur [Tivoli]. But I was disappointed the author made only fleeting references to his third great architectural wonder: Hadrian's Wall and there was no speculation as to the reason for building it in the first place. I did like the fact that "stone from Hadrian's Wall ... was placed [in the British Military Cemetery in Italy] at the wish of the citizens of Carlisle, to commemorate those servicemen from Cumbria killed in the Second World War." The book was enjoyable, once I accepted it on its own terms and didn't expect more from it than it could give.
My heart went out to the childless Sabina, who resented him for his attitude towards her at first; but to protect herself, it became the hard shell of indifference towards him. A marvelous fictional portrayal of the empress is given in the historical mystery Semper Fidelis; in it she plays an important role. Although Hadrian traveled to Greece, Judaea, and other places, much of the travel section was spent in Egypt, the land where his beloved male lover Antinous died. There was at least a whole chapter devoted to theories on his death and another on his possible final resting place. I enjoyed the chapters on the Pantheon and the extensive material on his villa at Tibur [Tivoli]. But I was disappointed the author made only fleeting references to his third great architectural wonder: Hadrian's Wall and there was no speculation as to the reason for building it in the first place. I did like the fact that "stone from Hadrian's Wall ... was placed [in the British Military Cemetery in Italy] at the wish of the citizens of Carlisle, to commemorate those servicemen from Cumbria killed in the Second World War." The book was enjoyable, once I accepted it on its own terms and didn't expect more from it than it could give.
June 27, 2007
Picked it up at Tsewong's in Xiahe. Read it in two days. An engaging reminder that the classical world was not limited to the greek polis. Multi-ethnic empire building old skool style. Hadrian was a truly interesting chap. And I learned that the collossi of Memnon only sang for something like 250 years--a much shorter time than they've been silent.
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September 26, 2025really amazing and helpful breakdown of Hadrian's rule, and especially what he was probably like as a person. Speller is neither blinded to Hadrian's problems nor reticent about his merits--personally, I felt some of the creepier anecdotes in this were the most rewarding parts of the book. the necromancer, the odd little outbursts of sadism, the dedicated antisemitism, the darker possibilities about antinous's death. i thought that 'he jumped' was the most menacing possibility about his death, but oh no, there are worse ones.
War and Retrospective were, in my opinion, the two most useful chapters. the first deals with the Jewish revolts (and, helpfully, the history behind why Judaea was not happy with Rome), the second with Antinous and Hadrian's relationship. I did not care for the creative writing exercise that came at the beginning of each chapter, and would have preferred to just read a shorter book. the epilogue, too, was too artsy for my taste, though i appreciate Speller trying to make the book as engaging as possible to read.
War and Retrospective were, in my opinion, the two most useful chapters. the first deals with the Jewish revolts (and, helpfully, the history behind why Judaea was not happy with Rome), the second with Antinous and Hadrian's relationship. I did not care for the creative writing exercise that came at the beginning of each chapter, and would have preferred to just read a shorter book. the epilogue, too, was too artsy for my taste, though i appreciate Speller trying to make the book as engaging as possible to read.
April 7, 2021
Given the title, I was expecting an account of a journey through the provinces of the Roman Empire in the footsteps of the well-traveled Emperor Hadrian. But here there is not much to be found about the provinces; instead the book tells the life of Hadrian, based mainly on the sketchy account given in the Historia Augusta, but with greater detail of his activities in just two places, Egypt and Athens. These factual chapters alternate with fictional extracts from memoirs of Julia Balbilla, a member of his court. There is no need to pad the story out with fiction: we know a great deal more factually about Hadrian and his travels even than the ancient writers tell us, for example from inscriptions and numismatic evidence. A much better biography is available by Anthony Everitt: "Hadrian and the Triumph of Rome."
September 10, 2024
quick, fun read. RIP Antonious
November 6, 2019
Many people now only know Hadrian for the wall he had built in northern England as the farthest boundary of the Roman Empire in the West. But Hadrian, one of the "five good emperors" (the string of emperors from Nerva through Marcus Aurelius), was responsible for a number of impressive building projects, including rebuilding the Pantheon (the great domed temple, whose dome become the model for the Duomo in Florence and St. Peter's in Rome) and his great palace at Tivoli. He was also a patron of the arts, a lover of all things Greek, and a traveller. Especially in the first part of his reign, he was also known as a just man who looked for ways to avoid contact, though this changed later in his life, when he engaged in a vicious war against the Jews in Judea. Whether the change was just due to aging, due to declining health, due to the death of his young lover Antinous, or something else is unknown, but it has resulted in quite a mixed view in the historical assessment of Hadirian.
Elizabeth Speller's biography is a readable, detailed (to the degree that we have details) of Hardian's life, both public and personal. It follows him from his ascent to the role of emperor through his death, and ends with a good retrospective. She presents both the good and the bad sides of Hadrian in a balanced way, and one is left admiring what he did, but likewise happy not to be near a man who in fits of temper could lash out at others and who held grudges the way he did. She also does a fine job of telling us what we do know and what we don't, something I appreciate in an historian.
Several chapters are spent on Hadrian's relationship with Antinous, particularly on the death of the latter and its aftermath. Antinous was a handsome young man who was Hadrian's lover for several years and who accompanied him on his great trip through Greece, the Near East, and Egypt. But in Egypt he was found drowned, and Hadrian went into mourning, going as far as deify the young man and set up temples to him. (The cult of Antinous held on for many years after, for a while rivaling Christianity until the latter firmly took over.) But how he died is still a mystery. Did he simply drown? Did Hadrian sacrifice him, for the sake of his own life or the Empire? Did he kill himself, as a self sacrifice. We don't know, and probably never will.
One unconventional method she uses in the biography is that she starts each chapter with an "excerpt" from the fictional memoirs of Julia Balbilla, an educated woman who accompanied Hadrian and was friends with his wife. This does give us a bit of a feel for the time, though I'm not sure it completed worked or that it was necessary.
Overall, though, a fine history.
Elizabeth Speller's biography is a readable, detailed (to the degree that we have details) of Hardian's life, both public and personal. It follows him from his ascent to the role of emperor through his death, and ends with a good retrospective. She presents both the good and the bad sides of Hadrian in a balanced way, and one is left admiring what he did, but likewise happy not to be near a man who in fits of temper could lash out at others and who held grudges the way he did. She also does a fine job of telling us what we do know and what we don't, something I appreciate in an historian.
Several chapters are spent on Hadrian's relationship with Antinous, particularly on the death of the latter and its aftermath. Antinous was a handsome young man who was Hadrian's lover for several years and who accompanied him on his great trip through Greece, the Near East, and Egypt. But in Egypt he was found drowned, and Hadrian went into mourning, going as far as deify the young man and set up temples to him. (The cult of Antinous held on for many years after, for a while rivaling Christianity until the latter firmly took over.) But how he died is still a mystery. Did he simply drown? Did Hadrian sacrifice him, for the sake of his own life or the Empire? Did he kill himself, as a self sacrifice. We don't know, and probably never will.
One unconventional method she uses in the biography is that she starts each chapter with an "excerpt" from the fictional memoirs of Julia Balbilla, an educated woman who accompanied Hadrian and was friends with his wife. This does give us a bit of a feel for the time, though I'm not sure it completed worked or that it was necessary.
Overall, though, a fine history.
May 21, 2022
There are parts of this book that I found to deserve 5 stars. Then, there’s the tedious inquest into the death of Antinous and the excerpts from Julia’s fictional biography that begin the chapters and often just repeat what is written in the chapter itself.Also, too many times something is said in an early chapter and repeated again and again.
October 27, 2022
I can't recommend this to anyone new to learning about Hadrian, as I found the focus to be more on ennobling characteristics than the basic details surrounding his rule. A friend asked me what governmental positions Hadrian held before taking the throne, and Wikipedia answers the question better than this book (which briefly mentions his positions as governor, praetor and consul in a timeline at the beginning). Do we just not know much about his multiple tribunates? Were they uneventful? It's years of his life, so felt odd to skip.
As such this narrative glosses over foundational details to jump into his ascension to the throne, assessments of character, and other opinions. I came away knowing more about his marriage than his career, which was rather disorienting in a book about a ruler. This isn't a bad choice, as histories need some interpersonal drama to appeal to an audience, but to me nonfiction is rewarding because every descriptor is hard-earned from looking at many (conflicting, untruthful, discredited) sources.
I will concede that Hadrian's superstition, potentially cutthroat moves, and weakness for Antonius were handled well. There are a lot of moments that made Hadrian feel like a real, flawed human, which were a delight. But I think these vignettes would have been better after getting a framework to place them in. Otherwise, I felt quite lost and left to take the author's word for things rather than being presented with the facts and left for myself to decide what kind of person Hadrian was.
As such this narrative glosses over foundational details to jump into his ascension to the throne, assessments of character, and other opinions. I came away knowing more about his marriage than his career, which was rather disorienting in a book about a ruler. This isn't a bad choice, as histories need some interpersonal drama to appeal to an audience, but to me nonfiction is rewarding because every descriptor is hard-earned from looking at many (conflicting, untruthful, discredited) sources.
I will concede that Hadrian's superstition, potentially cutthroat moves, and weakness for Antonius were handled well. There are a lot of moments that made Hadrian feel like a real, flawed human, which were a delight. But I think these vignettes would have been better after getting a framework to place them in. Otherwise, I felt quite lost and left to take the author's word for things rather than being presented with the facts and left for myself to decide what kind of person Hadrian was.
January 21, 2022
An odd book, but an enjoyable one, tracing the journeys of the Roman emperor Hadrian (3rd of the "Five Good Emperors") throughout his empire, and the significances of those journeys. Not exactly a biography of Hadrian, but not exactly NOT one either, and containing odd "dramatizations" of journal entries from a member of his family at the start of each chapter - it's all kind of weird, but it works. The significance of Antinuos and his rather mysterious death in Egypt is explored, the extent to which that influenced Hadrian's rather ruinous and disastrous (for all sides) war against the Jews, the return to Rome and being almost "trapped" there . . . And the book ends on a fascinating quotation about his successor, Antoninus Pius, who quite deliberately (it seems) did NOT travel through the empire. All-in-all, a fascinating book, if occasionally a weird one.
July 22, 2023
This is a good book for an overview of Hadrian's reign. I have issues both minor (Ms. Speller says that Jesus would have held a coin of Augustus when he made His famous "Render unto Caesar..." comments, but undoubtedly a denarius of the late 20s AD would have been a coin of Tiberius) and moderate (I'd like more on the Pantheon, much more on the succession plan of Antoninus and Marcus at the end of Hadrian's life), but overall this was an informative read with a clever presentation. I really liked the invented letters of Julia Balbilla, which help carry the narrative. While the book doesn't really take you on the 2nd century "journey" because the overwhelming focus is on Hadrian's time in Egypt and Athens, Ms. Speller does a nice job trying to tease out what really happened to Antinous and how Hadrian's many contradictions made him the ruler he was. Recommended.
July 2, 2020
My main complaint is how tedious this was for me to read. I expected what the cover says: “A Second-Century Journey through the Roman Empire.”
I felt as if the only journey I was a part of was the fictitious excerpt writings of Julia Balbilla, which makes reading this book a bit meaningless. If I wanted a fictional perspective, I would have chosen a different title.
It wasn’t totally unrewarding, however. I did finish with a bit more knowledge regarding the contrasting cultures of Greece and Rome and Hadrian’s obsession with anything Greek; including his homoerotic/pedophilic relationship with the Greek boy, Antinous.
I felt as if the only journey I was a part of was the fictitious excerpt writings of Julia Balbilla, which makes reading this book a bit meaningless. If I wanted a fictional perspective, I would have chosen a different title.
It wasn’t totally unrewarding, however. I did finish with a bit more knowledge regarding the contrasting cultures of Greece and Rome and Hadrian’s obsession with anything Greek; including his homoerotic/pedophilic relationship with the Greek boy, Antinous.
November 17, 2025
I can understand that some readers will not take to this book as it is by no means an academic or straightforward biographical text, presenting instead a biography framed within Hadrian's last journey through Egypt, Greece and back to Rome. Yes, there is a lot of conjecture about his motives, emotions and reactions, and yes, each chapter is prefaced with a fictional diary extract from a member of the travelling court. I however LOVED it; I thought it was a thoroughly engaging, clever and erudite text that evoked a more interesting image of Hadrian than any amount of academic historiography could. Very highly recommended.
January 8, 2022
A bit of a slog and never really got into the book. I didn't particularly enjoy the fictional descriptions at the beginning of each chapter from the point-of-view of Julia Balbilla (Hadrian's wife's friend), the fact the booked focused on a limited number of events in Hadrian's life, and that it spent too much time on Egypt and Antinous. I'd recommend going in a different direction if you want to learn about Hadrian and the early/mid-second century Roman Empire.
October 2, 2018
I started this while walking Hadrian's Wall, and then put it down for quite some time before finishing it. I enjoyed it but there wasn't much about the Wall! it is more about his life overall, particularly the later years. Which I knew nothing about, so I learned a lot.
January 15, 2014
This book failed to mention Hadrian's Wall,
one of my absorbing interests,
but since it didn't seem relevant to the author's purpose
I really failed to be aware of its omission.
And given the context it may not be an omission at all.
What was served was gripping enough.
What reared LARGE was the complexity of Hadrian's personality
and how a different culture can lead you so far from what
you consider to be 'normal' or consider to be obvious or natural.
The influence of a nation's mythology on everyday behaviour is a factor that may leave an ignorant stranger floundering without even being aware they are. Hadrian's culture, status, sexuality and beliefs are all brought into play in what we might have expected to be a fairly straightforward account of a life. Luckily it becomes a fascinating journey into realms unknown.
Hadrian was supposed to have written an autobiography, which can both reveal and obscure,for instance either through the extremes of pride or humility, so answers/facts become muffled creating more confusion.
Politically Hadrian stopped the drive to expand the Empire and set about the more realistic and peaceful job of consolidating what the Empire already had.
Many of his constructions survive, especially the Pantheon in Rome, still in use after 2,000 years, which is a lesson in the creation of an amazing space that will remain with the viewer forever
His love of the Hellenic led him to emphasise these values in all its expressions, especially in building and extending cities and Hellenic culture in every part of the Empire. Unfortunately this led to the second major bloody clash with Judaism and the final diaspora which does more than echo today!! and put a huge dent in Hadrian's Peace Agenda.
All this was carried out through fairly constant travel, a passion of Hadrian's which occupied over half of his reign. His huge retinue must have been a double-edged sword to his subjects when it descended on their lives and lands.
A wife and an accompanying young lover was a personal sidedish, which especially came to the fore when the young man was drowned in the Nile.
But was he a suicide, a murder victim or a myth being reenacted? Was he even young ? Was Hadrian responsible as well as bereft? Was the lover responsible and doing his duty? Speculation can be even more fascinating and informative than a true story.
This is a truly absorbing read.
Each chapter begins with a brief relevant quote from a Roman poet or writer, which is followed up by a much longer extract from the fictitious( which does not have 'false' as an opposite!!!) diary of a Greek princess, Julia Baibilla, who was a companion to Hadrian's wife, the Empress Sabina, on these travels.
Finally we have a substantial discussion of the facts, the possible facts and the detective work becomes engrossing.
No Wall here, but it is still there in England's far cool north, compliments of Hadrian, the traveller and builder.
May see you there???
PS. Marguerite Yourcenar's acclaimed 1951 "Memoirs of Hadrian"...her version of the Lost Autobiography, lies on a shelf beside a hopefully not too conventional historical study,"Hadrian and the Triumph of Rome"
by Anthony Everitt (2009).
PRE-READ: a personal note.
I decided somehow, sometime,
that I would LOVE to "walk Hadrian's Wall".
I'd been close to it a few times at Carlisle, but NEVER seen it.
And then I became a bit disabled walkwise.
A few vertebrae had thinned and lost the jelly between them.
And another vertebrae had become misaligned.
Then I found that I was learning to live
with a continual 'pinched nerve'
and Hadrian melted away.
Now onto my Third Physio
and some Hope restored
Hadrian has knocked on my door;
the 'pinched nerve'has become far less disabling
So I'm 'reading' Hadrian !!! with renewed interest.
one of my absorbing interests,
but since it didn't seem relevant to the author's purpose
I really failed to be aware of its omission.
And given the context it may not be an omission at all.
What was served was gripping enough.
What reared LARGE was the complexity of Hadrian's personality
and how a different culture can lead you so far from what
you consider to be 'normal' or consider to be obvious or natural.
The influence of a nation's mythology on everyday behaviour is a factor that may leave an ignorant stranger floundering without even being aware they are. Hadrian's culture, status, sexuality and beliefs are all brought into play in what we might have expected to be a fairly straightforward account of a life. Luckily it becomes a fascinating journey into realms unknown.
Hadrian was supposed to have written an autobiography, which can both reveal and obscure,for instance either through the extremes of pride or humility, so answers/facts become muffled creating more confusion.
Politically Hadrian stopped the drive to expand the Empire and set about the more realistic and peaceful job of consolidating what the Empire already had.
Many of his constructions survive, especially the Pantheon in Rome, still in use after 2,000 years, which is a lesson in the creation of an amazing space that will remain with the viewer forever
His love of the Hellenic led him to emphasise these values in all its expressions, especially in building and extending cities and Hellenic culture in every part of the Empire. Unfortunately this led to the second major bloody clash with Judaism and the final diaspora which does more than echo today!! and put a huge dent in Hadrian's Peace Agenda.
All this was carried out through fairly constant travel, a passion of Hadrian's which occupied over half of his reign. His huge retinue must have been a double-edged sword to his subjects when it descended on their lives and lands.
A wife and an accompanying young lover was a personal sidedish, which especially came to the fore when the young man was drowned in the Nile.
But was he a suicide, a murder victim or a myth being reenacted? Was he even young ? Was Hadrian responsible as well as bereft? Was the lover responsible and doing his duty? Speculation can be even more fascinating and informative than a true story.
This is a truly absorbing read.
Each chapter begins with a brief relevant quote from a Roman poet or writer, which is followed up by a much longer extract from the fictitious( which does not have 'false' as an opposite!!!) diary of a Greek princess, Julia Baibilla, who was a companion to Hadrian's wife, the Empress Sabina, on these travels.
Finally we have a substantial discussion of the facts, the possible facts and the detective work becomes engrossing.
No Wall here, but it is still there in England's far cool north, compliments of Hadrian, the traveller and builder.
May see you there???
PS. Marguerite Yourcenar's acclaimed 1951 "Memoirs of Hadrian"...her version of the Lost Autobiography, lies on a shelf beside a hopefully not too conventional historical study,"Hadrian and the Triumph of Rome"
by Anthony Everitt (2009).
PRE-READ: a personal note.
I decided somehow, sometime,
that I would LOVE to "walk Hadrian's Wall".
I'd been close to it a few times at Carlisle, but NEVER seen it.
And then I became a bit disabled walkwise.
A few vertebrae had thinned and lost the jelly between them.
And another vertebrae had become misaligned.
Then I found that I was learning to live
with a continual 'pinched nerve'
and Hadrian melted away.
Now onto my Third Physio
and some Hope restored
Hadrian has knocked on my door;
the 'pinched nerve'has become far less disabling
So I'm 'reading' Hadrian !!! with renewed interest.
June 5, 2019
This was a rather uneven biography of Hadrian, the emperor who ruled Rome from 117 to 138 AD. The beginning, I felt, was strong and full of interesting details of Hadrian's early life: his provincial upbringing, adoption by Trajan, marriage to Sabina (a loveless marriage), and development into the warrior and intelligent ruler he became. At about the midpoint, the whole topic of Antinous came up and the author never really moved on. She seemed to be obsessed with this young man that Hadrian kept as a lover. Antinous died in a tragic accident and she repeatedly discussed his untimely death and the strange details surrounding it. While I think it was a pivotal moment in Hadrian's life (his life definitely took a turn for the worse after this event), I don't think it needed such extensive analysis and focus.
Sadly other details of Hadrian's life seemed to be missing, the biggest example being Hadrian's Wall. The only fact I knew about Hadrian before reading this bio is that he built a wall. I was hoping to learn more, but it was not to be. The author only mentioned it once in passing and made no effort to explain how and why it was made.
Another weakness of this biography was the fictional story that is spread out over the book in small sections. It is Hadrian's life viewed through the perspective of a noblewoman who was close friends with his wife. I think it was supposed to bring Hadrian to life more, but it was very poorly written in wooden, cold prose and didn't really seem to add much of anything other than bulk to the book. In fact, I was often confused and left wondering what parts were based on facts and what parts were purely from the author's imagination.
Hadrian was a man with many gifts. He was intelligent, well-read, very athletic, a successful soldier. He had an excellent memory, liked poetry, and was a gifted architect and builder. The remnants of his impressive villa are still standing, a testament to his architectural savvy. He accomplished a lot during his rule, traveled across his massive empire extensively, restored ancient buildings (the Pantheon being one), and presided over a relatively peaceful and stable time in Rome's history. (One of the main exceptions of this peacefulness being when he ruthlessly drove the Jews out of Jerusalem, thus completing the diaspora of the Jewish people.) Despite his intellectual gifts and immense wealth and accomplishment, he never found happiness and satisfaction. The last years of his life were spent in dissipation, despair, and mental breakdown. He sought peace, safety, and contentment, but never found it, because he never looked to the only One who can provide that. Ultimately his life was a tragic one and he died an unloved and extremely depressed man.
It was very interesting to learn more about the Roman Empire (something I know little about), but I can't say that I enjoyed this book or enjoyed learning about Hadrian. There was also a lot of content that was extremely disturbing (the Romans did so many awful, disgusting, and completely perverted things and the author didn't spare the reader any). I could have done without the gory details. This is definitely not a book I would recommend, but I am thankful for how it has spurred my interest in the time period and look forward to reading better books on the topic.
Sadly other details of Hadrian's life seemed to be missing, the biggest example being Hadrian's Wall. The only fact I knew about Hadrian before reading this bio is that he built a wall. I was hoping to learn more, but it was not to be. The author only mentioned it once in passing and made no effort to explain how and why it was made.
Another weakness of this biography was the fictional story that is spread out over the book in small sections. It is Hadrian's life viewed through the perspective of a noblewoman who was close friends with his wife. I think it was supposed to bring Hadrian to life more, but it was very poorly written in wooden, cold prose and didn't really seem to add much of anything other than bulk to the book. In fact, I was often confused and left wondering what parts were based on facts and what parts were purely from the author's imagination.
Hadrian was a man with many gifts. He was intelligent, well-read, very athletic, a successful soldier. He had an excellent memory, liked poetry, and was a gifted architect and builder. The remnants of his impressive villa are still standing, a testament to his architectural savvy. He accomplished a lot during his rule, traveled across his massive empire extensively, restored ancient buildings (the Pantheon being one), and presided over a relatively peaceful and stable time in Rome's history. (One of the main exceptions of this peacefulness being when he ruthlessly drove the Jews out of Jerusalem, thus completing the diaspora of the Jewish people.) Despite his intellectual gifts and immense wealth and accomplishment, he never found happiness and satisfaction. The last years of his life were spent in dissipation, despair, and mental breakdown. He sought peace, safety, and contentment, but never found it, because he never looked to the only One who can provide that. Ultimately his life was a tragic one and he died an unloved and extremely depressed man.
It was very interesting to learn more about the Roman Empire (something I know little about), but I can't say that I enjoyed this book or enjoyed learning about Hadrian. There was also a lot of content that was extremely disturbing (the Romans did so many awful, disgusting, and completely perverted things and the author didn't spare the reader any). I could have done without the gory details. This is definitely not a book I would recommend, but I am thankful for how it has spurred my interest in the time period and look forward to reading better books on the topic.
May 16, 2025
I enjoyed this 2003 book in the Oxford Univ. Press edition but only gave it 3* out of 5* because it failed to cover a significant aspect of Hadrian's impact on European / Mediterranean / United Kingdom locations. It barely mentions Hadrian's Wall on Page 245 but never deals with that
substantial landmark / archaeological surviving remnant. The fiction - insert as far as a wife's voice is OK for many readers obviously given this now 22-year-old hybrid -- Ancient Classical Greek - Hellenistic - Roman overview put alongside comments about the life and quirks of the ancient powerful successor to Trajan and others who never quite make the "Top 10" of Emperors known in Popular Culture or Main / Primus Magnus Absolute Rulers of the 2nd Century (Silver Age of Roman Letters - Literature). I hope the author takes cues from some of her readers and expands and includes more about Britain and even the Bar Kokhba ruins near Masada at the Dead Sea (Israel - Judea). I recommend it mildly.
substantial landmark / archaeological surviving remnant. The fiction - insert as far as a wife's voice is OK for many readers obviously given this now 22-year-old hybrid -- Ancient Classical Greek - Hellenistic - Roman overview put alongside comments about the life and quirks of the ancient powerful successor to Trajan and others who never quite make the "Top 10" of Emperors known in Popular Culture or Main / Primus Magnus Absolute Rulers of the 2nd Century (Silver Age of Roman Letters - Literature). I hope the author takes cues from some of her readers and expands and includes more about Britain and even the Bar Kokhba ruins near Masada at the Dead Sea (Israel - Judea). I recommend it mildly.
December 29, 2025
"Gaining an impressionistic sense of how it was in ancient Rome is easier, no less valid, and possibly more exciting than attempting to lay out a scrupulous history". So reads the first line of this book's preface; I am not particularly interested in this approach to history, and did not like this aspect of the book.
I do have to admit that this approach follows the scholarship of Rome's earliest historians, and could be more honest when working with ancient sources. But I think there's a balance to be struck in acknowledging the incompleteness of our sources and the manner in which history is filtered through the perspectives of the people who wrote it down- Speller's way of dealing with this is rather extreme, and does not really appeal to me.
I skimmed or skipped entirely the historical fiction sections of each chapter- this didn't feel necessary at all. Outside of that, the text was relatively entertaining and I do feel like I have learned a lot about Hadrian and his leadership, as well as a bit about his politics. However, a lot of this is upheld by my interest in ancient mystery cults; Hadrian's participation in these is a major focus. If I wasn't already fascinated by this subject, I don't know how good the actual historical portion of the book would be.
I don't know if a proper "journey through the Roman Empire" can exclude Western Europe and Africa, but I recognize that the east is really where the center of gravity was in the Mediterranean at
this time, and certainly where Hadrian's attention was. I guess I can't fault Speller for taking out the boring parts, and the book was long enough as is.
I liked how in some parts, Speller really investigates the multiple potential answers to historical questions, as well as the evidence pointing to each- why Hadrian was uncharictaristically brutal in Judea, the cause of Antinous's death, etc.
I do have to admit that this approach follows the scholarship of Rome's earliest historians, and could be more honest when working with ancient sources. But I think there's a balance to be struck in acknowledging the incompleteness of our sources and the manner in which history is filtered through the perspectives of the people who wrote it down- Speller's way of dealing with this is rather extreme, and does not really appeal to me.
I skimmed or skipped entirely the historical fiction sections of each chapter- this didn't feel necessary at all. Outside of that, the text was relatively entertaining and I do feel like I have learned a lot about Hadrian and his leadership, as well as a bit about his politics. However, a lot of this is upheld by my interest in ancient mystery cults; Hadrian's participation in these is a major focus. If I wasn't already fascinated by this subject, I don't know how good the actual historical portion of the book would be.
I don't know if a proper "journey through the Roman Empire" can exclude Western Europe and Africa, but I recognize that the east is really where the center of gravity was in the Mediterranean at
this time, and certainly where Hadrian's attention was. I guess I can't fault Speller for taking out the boring parts, and the book was long enough as is.
I liked how in some parts, Speller really investigates the multiple potential answers to historical questions, as well as the evidence pointing to each- why Hadrian was uncharictaristically brutal in Judea, the cause of Antinous's death, etc.
December 28, 2017
I picked this book up thinking that it would be a travelogue, following some of Hadrian's peregrinations. It isn't. In a way it's more than that, it's a consideration of Hadrian's philhellenism and how that affected his attitude to ruling an empire. Mainly it is concerned with the visit to Greece and Egypt in 128-130CE and how the mysterious death of his lover Antinous changed him and quite possibly his plans for the Empire.
I'm not a Roman scholar, or even anyone with more than a general knowledge of Roman history, so I can't vouch for the accuracy of Speller's arguments. Certainly, I can imagine that for someone with a 'serious; interest in Roman history her insertion of large chunks of a fictitious diary of one of the Empress' confidants would grate. For me, those bits were well done and reminiscent of Allan Massie's books (his praise is the cover blurb), but perhaps they belonged in another book.
I'm not a Roman scholar, or even anyone with more than a general knowledge of Roman history, so I can't vouch for the accuracy of Speller's arguments. Certainly, I can imagine that for someone with a 'serious; interest in Roman history her insertion of large chunks of a fictitious diary of one of the Empress' confidants would grate. For me, those bits were well done and reminiscent of Allan Massie's books (his praise is the cover blurb), but perhaps they belonged in another book.
December 11, 2008
I really would like to give this a 3 1/2 star review as I did enjoy it a bit more than 3 stars. Elizabeth Speller does a good job of recounting the reign of Hadrian through existing written and archeological sources. This is not a typical history of Hadrian's time, however. Speller commences her chapters with a fictionalized account of events written by Julia Balbilla, one of Hadrian's entourage and companion of Hadrian's wife, Sabina, during his trip to the East. Much of Speller's review of Hadrian's reign is speculation in to the motives and reasons behind his perpetual traveling and without Hadrian's lost autobiography this will remain speculative and inferential. Keeping in mind that much will remain unknown, Speller still builds an interesting account with her educated guesswork. She may very well be right, but it is also unlikely that we will ever know one way or another.
September 13, 2016
Hadrian remains a mysterious historical figure, definitely complex and very human, and yet, it seems like historians have decided to concern themselves mainly with Hadrian's Wall and his general presence in Britain. This despite the fact that Hadrian has left behind a very significant architectural legacy.
Speller focuses mainly on Hadrian as an emperor and as a human being, realizing that by examining who he was, we can also evaluate his tangible legacy in much more efficient way. Hadrian seems to have struggled in a way humans tend to, even today: longing for something he never had, feelings inadequacy and, of course, the realization and denial of our own mortality.
We can't admire his architecture properly, if we don't know him as a person.
Speller focuses mainly on Hadrian as an emperor and as a human being, realizing that by examining who he was, we can also evaluate his tangible legacy in much more efficient way. Hadrian seems to have struggled in a way humans tend to, even today: longing for something he never had, feelings inadequacy and, of course, the realization and denial of our own mortality.
We can't admire his architecture properly, if we don't know him as a person.
December 1, 2015
An informational account of the Roman Emperor so often associated with the wall in northern England and the Pantheon in the city of Rome, but little understood beyond that. It seems that a great deal of Speller's focus was put on Hadrian's philhellenism, his tour of the eastern Mediterranean in the years around 130 AD, and even more about his obsession with his "favourite". The book could almost be titled "Antinous: A Journey from Mortal Peon to Diety of Sensuality". The book did serve as inspiration to learn more about Hadrian and some of the other Roman Emperors of the early millennium AD.
June 21, 2016
Interesting. The conceit is that she's included excerpts from "Julia Balbilla's diary," and that's what caused me to buy the book -- but those turned out to be by far the weakest part of the book (Julia Balbilla came off as highly, highly unpleasant). I also found the author's treatment of Antinous very strange (she seemed really uncomfortable talking about him). Hadrian was fascinating, and the more I learn about Julia Balbilla, the more I wish to know more about her, but I'm not sure I would recommend this book.
January 3, 2017
This approximates a biography of the Emperor Hadrian. It is unusually organized, being focused, sort of, on his last tour of the East (especially Egypt), but jumping back and forth throughout events in his life--and in the life of the Empire--while being punctuated by the fabricated memoir of one of his aristocratic companions. Although I found the work, even the generally irritating fake memoir, to have some literary merit and to offer the occasional insight into the man and the era, I can't imagine recommending it to any general reader.
April 30, 2012
I was disappointed that there is hardly a mention of Hadrian's trip to Britain or his ordering a wall built across the island. I would have been interested in knowing his reasoning.
The best parts of the book were the excerpts from the dairy of a travelling companion of Hadrian's wife. Her words provide an interesting insight into the mindset of the upperclass.
The best parts of the book were the excerpts from the dairy of a travelling companion of Hadrian's wife. Her words provide an interesting insight into the mindset of the upperclass.
December 16, 2013
judging by this book, the sources on Hadrian must be pretty thin. every other chapter is told from the point of view of a woman who was close friend of Hadrian's wife, and thus touring the empire with them. Not what I was expecting in a history. Perhaps my expectations were off, but it was not my kind of book.
June 8, 2023
Hadrian, interesting gay emperor.
November 15, 2014
Informative and interesting.
August 19, 2015
I liked this book and it made me feel what life was like during Hadrian era. But in the last chapters it talks too much about Antinous, with too much speculation on the facts.
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