Hadrian's Memoirs

Author: Marguerite Yourcenar (French), translated by Chen Xiaojing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-10-01
Features: Hadrian was born in 76 AD and died in 138 AD, one of Rome's "Five Good Emperors." In October 130 AD, Hadrian's favorite lover Antinoüs drowned in the Nile River in Egypt, the cause of his death remains unknown—whether accidental, suicide, or murder—the historical records are inconclusive. Grieving over the untimely death of his beloved who was not yet in his twenties, the heartbroken Hadrian immediately deified Antinoüs, worshipping him as a god, and founded a city at the site of his drowning, naming it Antinoopolis. He also ordered the erection of Antinoüs statues throughout the empire, creating a kind of album-like monument to commemorate the handsome young man who died in the prime of his youth.
During Hadrian's reign (117–138 AD), the Roman Empire was in its golden age of peace and prosperity. After Hadrian's death, the imperial villa quickly fell into disrepair and was even plundered during the Renaissance, used as construction material for other gardens and villas.