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The Complete Guide To: Hadrian's Empire
With a domain stretching from the Sahara to Cumbria, this Roman emperor was always on the move and he left a legacy that remains to this day. By Marian Amos
Saturday, 12 April 2008
HADRIAN: BUILDER OF WALLS AND EMPIRES?
Yes, and no. One of the greatest Roman emperors, Hadrian left his mark on the boundaries of the empire, including Britain notably his 73-mile wall (80 Roman miles) across the neck of Britain, from the river Tyne in the east to the Solway Firth in the west. Hadrian's Wall (0191-236 9347; www.hadrians-wall.org) took six years to build, just like Heathrow's Terminal 5, and like its 21st-century counterpart was a feat of engineering. The barrier was built by soldiers from all three British legions, plus others from across the empire some from as far away as Syria.
This epic project is the most visible evidence of Hadrian's vision for securing Rome's influence and the continuation of Pax Romana. Yet within days of taking power, in AD117, the Emperor Publius Aelius Hadrianus showed he was not an empire builder: he decided to pull the Roman forces back from Meso-potamia present-day Iraq to avoid the army being overstretched, and the frontier he marked out, with Syria, is still the international border.
Hadrian was well-travelled even before becoming emperor. Although probably born in Rome, he was certainly brought up in southern Spain, specifically in the appropriately named town of Italica, close to the Roman settlement of Hispalis, or Seville. The site has survived, though is somewhat bewildering compared with the other great Hadrian sites; the former town that spread across a hill has been clumsily excavated and ineptly renovated: your imagination has to work harder than usual to make sense of the city that was so crucial to Hadrian and the Roman empire.
To reach it, first get yourself to Seville. Options include Clickair (www.clickair.com) from Gatwick or Ryanair (0871 246 0000; www.ryanair. com) from Stansted or Liverpool. From Plaza de Armas bus station, get the slow bus to Santiponce (number 172), not the express; it departs on the hour and half-hour (Sundays on the half-hour only). The 25-minute journey costs 1.15 (90p). If you are driving, the site is on the N630, beyond the suburb of Camas.
The trip to Italica trundles through desultory suburbs giving no clue as to the scale of the city spread across a hillside with a scattering of plane trees. Admission to the site is free to EU citizens (bring your passport, though you are unlikely to be asked for it), and is open 9am-5.30pm Tuesday to Saturday, 10am-4pm on Sunday, from October to March. In summer, it opens 8.30am-8.30pm daily except Mondays (Sundays from 9.15am).
Alternatively, book a tour of Andalucia, including Italica, with Andante Travel (01722 713800; www.andante-travel.co.uk;), with insightful guiding from archaeologists.
Around AD100, Hadrian commanded a legion in Upper Pannonia (today part of Hungary), and also served in Athens, Dacia (now Romania) and Syria. Indeed, at the time of the death of his predecessor, Emperor Trajan, he was in the Middle East quelling the Jewish rebellion before being hailed as his successor. Hadrian became the most powerful man in the world; ruler of six million citizens in an empire stretching from the edges of the Scottish lowlands in the north to the Sahara in the south; from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Euphrates in the east.
HOW FAR DID HE TRAVEL?
This energetic, enigmatic emperor spent more than half of his reign travelling through his empire. He visited almost every Roman province, and met more of his people than any predecessor, setting local political, military and economic affairs in order and strengthening loyalty to Rome. Evidence of the reign of Hadrian is sparse in terms of texts (his autobiography is sadly lost). But luckily for the traveller, his world is still rich with architecture, inscriptions and statues. The fourth-century biography Historia Augusta says, "He built something in every city".
SUCH AS?
Look no further than Germany, or what was then the province of Germania, for an even more extensive structure than Hadrian's Wall. On his way to Britannia, AD121, Hadrian spent time getting the Limes (frontier) Germanicus of the Roman empire fortified. Imperial expansion had come to an end, and he needed a clearly defined border. The construction also served to keep the soldiers fit and active. The Limes follows a 330-mile route from Rheinbrohl on the Rhine to Eining on the Danube, and was a continuous fortification, with ditches, ramparts, palisades, walls, towers and forts. Now a Unesco World Heritage Site, it is one of the largest archaeological monuments in Central Europe, with 83 towns and villages uniting to preserve the former frontier.
Some of the biggest and best-preserved parts can be seen around the Taunus woods, north of the pretty spa town of Bad Homburg, outside Frankfurt. One option is to hire a bike to ride along the scenic Limes-Radweg cycle route, which passes the most notable Roman sites. This picturesque trail is clearly signposted through attractive scenery and landscapes.
Visit Saalburg Fort on the Taunus, 7km north of Bad Homburg, for evidence of the Limes (00 49 6175 93740; www.saalburgmuseum.de); it opens 9am-6pm daily from March to October, admission 3 (£2.30) and is served by bus number 5 from outside the Kurhaus (1.45/£1.15) in the middle of Bad Homburg.
After 15 minutes, you reach the Roman reconstruction rooted among tranquil beech and pine woodland. This site is part of an archaeology park, with an open-air museum and reconstructed Roman fort. You can even feast for a fiver (6.50) on imperial cuisine at the tables in Taberna, the on-site restaurant.
Plenty of flights link UK airports with Frankfurt. If you prefer to go overland, you could combine the Dutch Flyer "train and sail" option (£29 one way from London and East Anglian stations through Stena Line; 08705 707070; www.stenaline.co.uk to any Dutch station), with rail connections to Bad Homburg via Frankfurt on Deutsche Bahn (08718 808 066; www.bahn.co.uk). Check in to Maritim Kurhaushotel (00 49 6172 6600; www. maritim.de) in Bad Homburg, where doubles with breakfast start at 138 (£106).
TIME TO RULE BRITANNIA?
Having defined the frontier in the Germanic provinces, Hadrian headed for Britannia and the north-western extreme of the empire. There had been clashes with the Caledonians to the north; with a defensive structure and controlled border crossings, the situation could be stabilised. Hadrian's Wall was 15ft high. Every mile there was a "milecastle", with two watchtowers in between. When the contours of the land called for it, a 30ft ditch was dug to the north, with a smaller one behind the wall. Twelve garrison forts were added to house the soldiers whose task it was to defend the frontier, and the structure was served by a military road.
Almost two millennia later, stretches of this structure still stand, and you can take a magical history tour on the AD122 Hadrian's Wall Bus, which follows the line of the wall between Newcastle and Carlisle. On some buses, guides give commentaries. A three-day ticket costs £15 and allows you to start from either end and hop on and off at the best sites.
WALL'S START?
At Wallsend, now part of the conurbation of Newcastle upon Tyne, and easily u oaccessible from London, York, Edinburgh and Glasgow on National Express East Coast (08457 225 225; www.national expresseastcoast.com), and then by the city's Metro.
Segedunum, or "Strong Fort", at Buddle Street, Wallsend in Newcastle (0191 236 9347; www. hadrians-wall.org), is the eastern end of the wall, on the north bank of the Tyne. The entire complex has been excavated, revealing five gates, the commanding officer's house, the principia or headquarters, nine barracks that housed 600 soldiers with their 120 horses, and granaries all typical of such fortifications.
Situated beyond the walls of the fort is a full-scale reconstruction of a bath house containing the many chambers that would have emitted different degrees of heat, from frigidarium to laconium. A museum at the site displays objects discovered during the excavations. Open 10am-5pm daily from April to November, admission £3.95. From tomorrow to 8 June, you can come face to face with the bronze head of Emperor Hadrian, discovered in 1834 in the silt of the Thames (and from 24 July to 26 October, it will be on display as part of the exhibition Hadrian: Empire and Conflict at the British Museum in London; 020-7323 8299; www.britishmuseum. org/hadrian).
A good place to stay in Newcastle is the Youth Hostel at 107 Jesmond Road (0191 281 2570; www.yha.org.uk), close to Segedunum fort in the city; a double room costs £45 including breakfast.
WHERE NEXT?
Cilurnum, or Chesters Roman fort (01434 681379; www.english-heritage.org.uk), 24 miles west of Newcastle, set in the North Tyne valley among ancient woodland. This cavalry fort would have been home to 500 decurions, while their wives and children lived in a vicus (civilian settlement) outside the walls. Open 10am-6pm daily from March to September, admission £4.50.
Next along is Vindolanda, meaning "white plain", at Bardon Mill (01434 344277; www.vindolanda.com). This independently owned fort is renowned for its writing tablets that provide a vivid insight into Roman daily life. Built before the wall, AD85, Vindolanda was the longest occupied fort along the line. The wooden tablets include letters from senior officers and their wives, military reports, communications about food and clothing they even tell us the price of beer. You can watch archaeologists at work funded by your admission fee of £5.20 (open 10am-6pm daily from April to September).
Housesteads Fort, or Vercovicium (01434 344363; www.english-heritage.org.uk) is roughly halfway along Hadrian's Wall, and occupies a five-acre site with both a commanding position and views from the Whin Sill escarpment. It is the only fort along the wall whose walls can be seen in their entirety.
The stretch of wall from Housesteads to Steel Rigg is spectacular and can be part of a circular seven-mile walk that also incorporates Vindolanda. Open 10am-6pm daily from March to September, admission £4.50.
Break your journey at the Twice Brewed Inn (01434 344 534; www.twicebrewedinn. co.uk), where doubles with a shower start at £75, including breakfast.
DID HE GO SOUTH?
Indeed he did. This itinerant emperor travelled the length and breadth of his empire, including a visit to the province Cyrenaica, known today as Libya. He visited the Roman town of Leptis Magna, where he commissioned the construction of an impressive bath building. Excavation of the site did not start until the 20th century, revealing limestone ruins so well preserved by the sands that this is regarded as the finest Roman site in the Mediterranean. Adjacent to the main entrance of the site is an excellent archaeology museum, which has one of the finest Roman mosaics ever discovered. The specialist tour operator Ciceroni (01869 811167; www.ciceroni.co.uk) runs archaeological tours with guides for £2,240 including flights, accommodation and meals.
DID HE WAGE WAR?
Just once. Hadrian attempted to "refound" Jerusalem as a grand Imperial city with disastrous consequences. It precipitated the Jewish Revolt, AD132, and subsequent massacre of half a million Jews. As part of the aforementioned exhibition, Hadrian: Empire and Conflict (24 July to 26 October), the British Museum (020-7323 8181; www.britishmuseum.org/hadrian) will display letters and personal items that belonged to Jews hiding in the Caves of Letters on the western shore of the Dead Sea to avoid slaughter.
ALL ROADS LEAD TO...
Rome: seat of the emperor, biggest city of the ancient Mediterranean, home to the senate and, in Hadrian's lifetime, a heaving population of one million. Hadrian transformed the urban landscape, still rich with the remains of his reign. For an in-depth Imperial experience, enlist the services of resident expert James Hill (00 39 06 9044127). Alternatively, get a Roma Pass for 20 (£15.50) to visit museums and galleries (first two are free), plus a three-day travel pass for Metro, buses, trams and trains.
The most notable reminder of Hadrian's rule, dominating Piazza della Rotunda, is The Pantheon (www.romaturismo.it), a magnificence commissioned by Hadrian and dedicated to the worship of Roman gods. It was founded in 27BC, but entirely rebuilt, AD118-123, by the emperor. Open Monday-Saturday 8.30am-7.30pm, 9am-6pm Sunday, admission free.
Take a walk half-way along Via di San Gregorio to the massive Arch of Constantine. Recent research reveals that the tondi (reliefs) adorning the arch, which depict Emperor Hadrian hunting, and the death of his young friend Antinous, are original decorations and that this was erected as a hunting monument during his reign.
Wander the scenic zigzagging road from Piazza del Popolo up above the city to the pretty Pincio Gardens, where an obelisk stands. This is a tribute to Antinous, with four sides carved with hieroglyphics. It is thought to have been relocated from Villa Adriana in 1822 by Pope Pius VII.
You can admire a selection of statues of Hadrian's favourite, Antinous including two of him as a pharaoh in the Sala a Croce Greca gallery within the Vatican Museums at Viale Vatican 13 (open Monday-Friday 8.30am-6pm, last admission 4pm, 14/£11; www.vatican.va).
Hadrian as an older man is the subject of a marble bust on the first floor of the Capitoline Museum at Piazza del Campidoglio 1 (00 39 06 82059127), which opens 9am-8pm daily except Monday, admission 6.50 (£5).
When not in Rome itself, or travelling, Hadrian based himself 18 miles east of the city in his villa outside Tivoli. Hop on the capital's Metro B line to Rebbibia. Outside the station, on the opposite side of the road, catch the blue Cotral bus to Tivoli. Ask the driver to drop you at the Villa Adriana (00 39 0774 382733).
This, the greatest Roman example of an Alexandrian garden, was the perfect stage for the emperor to promulgate his vision for the empire to the Imperial ιlite. Constructed AD118-138, this sumptuous complex comprises over 30 buildings covering more than 250 acres, with wonderful views of the Tibertine mountains and valleys.
Some of the buildings were inspired by architecture seen by the emperor on his travels; one of the most impressive is the Canopus pavilion, thought to be modelled on the resort near Alexandria in Egypt. It opens 9am-5pm daily, admission 6.50 (£5). The Pecile, a large pool surrounded by gardens, was paced around seven times by Hadrian for a walk that totalled one Roman mile (milia passuum, or 1,620 yards).
The Hotel Adriano, at 2 Villa Adriana, Tivoli (00 39 0774 535028; www.hotel adriano.it) is virtually on the villa's doorstep; doubles from 120 (£92), including breakfast. Plenty of airlines connect British airports with Rome Ciampino or Fiumicino.
WHERE IS HADRIAN BURIED?
Hadrian died on 10 July AD138, at the resort and port of Baiae, west of Rome. Even after death he continued to travel: his body was buried twice in two different locations, finally being laid to rest in his mausoleum, which later became Castel Sant'Angelo, in Rome one of the city's great sites (00 39 06 681 9111; www.castelsantangelo.com; open 9am-7pm daily except Monday, admission 5/£4).
DEATH ON THE NILE
When Hadrian travelled the world, it was with a large entourage of up to 5,000 people. These included his wife Sabina, friends, soldiers and slaves, and, after a chance meeting in Turkey, his young male lover Antinous.
The Imperial fleet arrived in Aegyptus (now Egypt), AD130, to great pomp and ceremony. A call was made at the sanctuary of the god Serapis at Canopus, a hotbed of hedonism, before an extensive tour of the principal cities and attractions that flanked both banks of the Nile. But 150 miles upstream of Heliopolis (now Cairo, left), Antinous drowned in mysterious circumstances. Hadrian had the young man deified and founded a town, Antinoφpolis, at the site in his memory.
You can explore Egypt with Voyages Jules Verne (0845 166 7003; www.vjv.co.uk) for as little as £495 for a week, including flights, accommodation and local transport. |