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.
Thermopylae fought today in 480 BC.
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The 3 day battle of Thermopylae began today, the 20th August, in 480 BC.
The Persians, under their King Xerxes, had brought an army of perhaps 200000 to Greece to subjugate it and avenge the humiliation of Darius’ earlier invasion and defeat at Marathon.
An emergency advance force of 7000 Hoplite Infantry from several of the City States was sent to block their advance. It was led by the Spartan King Leonidas. The point chosen was the narrow mountain pass known as Thermopylae, or the ‘hot gates’.
It was to be one of history’s greatest defences.
The first assault was by some 10000 Medes and Cissians and followed a useless archery barrage. It was easily repulsed in the compact confines of the 50ft narrow pass. The attackers were armed with short spears and light armour, unlike the Hoplites who had a longer spear and heavy armour. A second assault by his best Infantry, The Immortals, was also repulsed today.
The pass fell on the third day, after an act of treachery, by a Greek named Ephialtes. On learning that the Persians were outflanking them, Leonidas sent all but 2000 men back to their respective States and stayed in the pass to die with the remainder.
Xerxes was defeated on the 20th September at the sea battle of Salamis and all idea of conquest was extinguished. Greece survived and flourished. -
In an impressive demonstration of coolness under pressure, the Spartans at Themopylae delivered one of the greatest come-back lines of all time. When the Persians boasted that “Our arrows will blacken the sun” one of the Spartans – I think it was Leonidas – replied, “Then we will fight in the shade.”
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I wondered whether or not to include that line, so thank you Marc.
I read it was one of his soldiers though. -
Immortals, named for being elite.
Not because of an individual being immortal ,NO because their strength was allways 10.000 men.No need to put their name to the test!!… 8-)
Nice post Wittmann, enjoyed reading it.
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Thank you Aequitas.
Did not know about the strength always being 10000.
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