Today in 117AD Hadrian, the adopted son of Trajan, became the new Roman Emperor. Trajan had ruled for nearly twenty years and had enlarged the Empire greatly. Hadrian in his twenty one year rule would be just as good for Rome. He left behind four great building works, which remain today.
The first was to rebuild Agrippa’s Pantheon, adding the 141ft diameter Dome. It has massive bronze doors and now a church, has buried two of Italy’s kings and the artist Raphael amongst others.
On the river Tiber is the Castel San Angelo, another stone dome building, this one built as his own tomb. It has been used as a fortress by more than one Pope when Rome has been threatened. It housed Pope Clement VII when the forces of the (Spanish)Holy Roman Empire sacked the city in 1527. It is well worth a visit if you ever go to Rome. A coffee from the battlements’ cafe’ is a good end to a walk around the military museum it is now.
The third monument is the beautiful Villa at Tivoli.
Lastly is the wall he had constructed in the North of England to keep out those pesky Picts(Scots). It was 15ft high and stretched 73 miles from coast tocoast and there was a fort every five miles.
Hadrian had been unwell for some time and despite seeking death and requesting it of his adopted son Pius, who refused to aid him, he died aged 62 in his villa at Baie on the Bay of Naples.
Today in 180: Commodus returns to Rome as Emperor.
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After 83 years of 5 good emperors who brought growth and riches, Commodus arrived in Rome as Emperor today. He would rule 12 years and take Rome back to the dark times not seen since Nero. He had been with his father, Marcus Aurelius when he died of plague at Vindobona ( modern day Vienna). Many should have seen the signs: he was born on the 31st August, like Caligula, another despot of an emperor. Within 5 years he was leading a life of depravity, having orgy after orgy, with his harem of 300 boys and 300 girls. When he ran out of money, he would execute a senator and take his. He was so obsessed with his own importance he changed all the names of the months to his own.
He started fighting animals in public, fancying himself the world’s greatest gladiator, paying himself 1000000 sesterces a year. The Roman people and senate were appalled. Soon a plot was hatched to assassinate him. The poison failed and a professional wrestler was called upon to strangle him in his bath. He was 31.
After his death, all mention of him was removed by the Senate.
His death was followed by the year(193) of the 5 Emperors. -
What a legend LOL…. epic.
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Hi Garg. Must say as I wrote the word “orgy”, twice, I thought of you.
I wonder if Commodus was partial to gorillas!
Or if he was happier throwing javelins at them.
Nutcase that he obviously was. -
By the standards of Wittmann’s brief biographical sketch, Christopher Plummer’s interpretation of Commodus in “The Fall of the Roman Empire” is quite restrained. He barely attains the level of ruthless villany you might find in an average Fortune 500 CEO nowadays.
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What’s so “insane” about wanting it your own way, and embracing the freedoms you have whilst you have them?
Immoral - Certainly, Â Insanse? Â Not at all… Â :evil:
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You are right Marc. He certainly was a “baddy”, but not as vile a portrayal as could have been(was the 60s though). Joaquin definitely did him more justice.
I must say, I first watched that because Sofia Loren was in it.
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