A history of all nations from the earliest times; being a universal historical library . lius Aelius Hadri-an us (Fig. 48) was a near relative of Tra-jan, his grandfather having married Trajansaunt, and like him belonged to a Spanishfamily. He was born in Rome, during theresidence of his father there as senator, Jan-uary 24, 76. When he was ten yearsold, his father died, and Trajan became hisguardian. He received an excellent literary and physical education,with interests in many directions, and acquired considerable attain-ments in the plastic arts, in architecture, in mathematics and me
A history of all nations from the earliest times; being a universal historical library . lius Aelius Hadri-an us (Fig. 48) was a near relative of Tra-jan, his grandfather having married Trajansaunt, and like him belonged to a Spanishfamily. He was born in Rome, during theresidence of his father there as senator, Jan-uary 24, 76. When he was ten yearsold, his father died, and Trajan became hisguardian. He received an excellent literary and physical education,with interests in many directions, and acquired considerable attain-ments in the plastic arts, in architecture, in mathematics and medicine,which would have won him a name among the artists and learnedmen of his age, if his career had not been turned to public life. 91 he began his military service, and after Trajans accession hisrise was rapid. The Empress Plotina, who was childless, smoothedthe way for him, and married him, in 100, to Julia Sabina, thegranddaughter of Trajans sister. Trajan appreciated the intellectualgifts and great administrative and military talents of his cousin; but Vol. v.—10. Fig. 48. — The Emperor Ila^drian. Vatican. (From aphotograph.) 146 THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE EMPIRE. the straightforward, plain soldier, with his strong character, could havelittle sympathy with Hadrians scholarly and aesthetic tastes, andoccasional pettiness, and put off again and again his adoption, thoughhis last acts, after his return from Babylon, seemed to prepare for theprincipate of his cousin. The surroundings of the emperor werealways favorable to Hadrian; the Empress Plotina zealously chamj)ionedhis interests, so that on August 9, 117, when Hadrian was atAntioch, he received from Selinus the announcement that Trajan hadadopted him. The empress kept secret the death of the emperor fromthose about her, and on August 11 Hadrian received the news ofTrajans death. The Asiatic army at once proclaimed him Impera-tor; and he, in the face of Jewish and Parthian wars, secured hisposition upon
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