Essay: Hadrian was a good Emperor- Discuss.
Hadrian ruled as emperor from 117 to 138, what is mostly recorded as glorious years, to debate whether "Hadrian was a good emperor" to Rome would mean to look at his achievements and how they could compare to those achieved by emperors before him. Sources list Hadrian as a cultural and independent emperor, but to summarize his years of emperor as "good" or "bad", would mean to study and explore his ways of ruling and how he was influential to the people of Rome. This small assessment of Hadrian's time as emperor is very limited, and though historical sources list his many great deeds for the city of Rome, but like every emperor, he had his weaknesses, and a number of arguments are clear, when labeling him simply "good" or "bad". Hadrian was emperor for twenty-one years and when most of his decisions were successful, politically and socially, every "good" emperor makes mistakes. .
Many historians compare Hadrian to the divine Augustus, in his manner of modesty, honesty, and a patron of most arts. Hadrian was introduced into the Imperial family of Trajan when his father died and Trajan's wife took an interest in the orphaned boy. Hadrian was then educated properly and held many military and political posts, most importantly, consul. His connection with the emperor made him Trajan's formally adopted heir and whilst in charge of the army in Syria, he heard of Trajan's death and his new position as emperor. Already, Hadrian had the age maturity; education and good reputation that Rome needed to positively welcome a new emperor. However, Hadrian decided to stay in the East and take care of the border problems he was having with Armenia and Assyria. Hadrian was the first of all emperors to declare an end to the expansion of the empire, and he stopped the wars and invasions by giving up control of Armenia and Assyria, decreasing Rome's expansion of the empire.