Quinctius Niger, Vipsanius Apronianus.
(A.D. 117 = a.u. 870 = First of Hadrian, from Aug. 11th).
Hadrianus Aug. (II), Claudius Fuseus Salinator.
(A.D. 118 = a.u. 871 = Second of Hadrian).
Hadrianus Aug. (III), Q. Iunius Rusticus.
(A.D. 119 = a.u. 872 = Third of Hadrian).
L. Catilius Severus, T. Aurelius Fulvus.
(A.D. 120 = a.u. 873 = Fourth of Hadrian).
L. Annius Verus, Aur. Augurinus.
(A.D. 121 = a.u. 874 = Fifth of Hadrian).
Acilius Aviola, Corellius Pansa.
(A.D. 122 = a.u. 875 = Sixth of Hadrian).
Q. Arrius Paetinus, C. Ventidius Apronianus.
(A.D. 123 = a.u. 876 = Seventh of Hadrian).
Manius Acilius Glabrio, C. Bellicius Torquatus.
(A.D. 124 = a.u. 877 = Eighth of Hadrian).
P. Corn. Scipio Asiaticus (II), Q. Vettius Aquilinus.
(A.D. 125 = a.u. 878 = Ninth of Hadrian).
Annius Verus (III), L. Varius Ambibulus.
(A.D. 126 = a.u. 879 = Tenth of Hadrian).
Gallicianus, Caelius Titianus.
(A.D. 127 = a.u. 880 = Eleventh of Hadrian).
L. Nonius Asprenas Torquatus (II), M. Annius Libo.
(A.D. 128 = a.u. 881 = Twelfth of Hadrian).
Iuventius Celsus (II), Marcellus.
(A.D. 129 = a.u. 882 = Thirteenth of Hadrian).
Q. Fabius Catullinus, M. Flavius Aper.
(A.D. 130 = a.u. 883 = Fourteenth of Hadrian).
Ser. Octav. Laenas Pontianus, M. Antonius Rufinus.
(A.D. 131 = a.u. 884 = Fifteenth of Hadrian).
Augurinus, Severianus (or, according to others, Sergianus).
(A.D. 132 = a.u. 885 = Sixteenth of Hadrian).
Hiberus, Iunius Silanus Sisenna.
(A.D. 133 = a.u. 886 = Seventeenth of Hadrian).
Servianus (III), Vibius Varus.
(A.D. 134 = a.u. 887 = Eighteenth of Hadrian).
Pontianus, Atilianus.
(A.D. 135 = a.u. 888 = Nineteenth of Hadrian).
L. Ceionius Commodus Verus, Sex. Vetulenus Civica Pompeianus.
(A.D. 136 = a.u. 889 = Twentieth of Hadrian).
L. Aelius Verus Caesar, P. Caelius Balbinus Vibullius.
(A.D. 137 = a.u. 890 = Twenty-first of Hadrian).
Camerinus, Niger.
(A.D. 138 = a.u. 891 = Twenty-second of Hadrian, to July 10th).
A.D. 117 (a.u. 870)
1
Hadrian had not been adopted by Trajan. He was merely a fellow-citizen of the latter, had enjoyed Trajan's services as guardian, was of near kin to him, and had married his niece. In fine, he was a companion of his, sharing his daily life, and had been assigned to Syria for the Parthian War. However, he had received no distinguishing mark of favor from Trajan and had not been one of the first to be appointed consul. His position as Caesar and emperor was due to the fact that, when Trajan died without an heir, Attianus, a fellow-citizen and former guardian, together with Plotina, who was in love with him, secured him the appointment,--their efforts being facilitated by his proximity and his having a large force under his command. My father Apronianus, who was governor of Cilicia, had ascertained accurately the whole story about him. He used to relate the different incidents, and said in particular that the death of Trajan was concealed for several days to the end that the adoption might be announced. This was shown also by his letters to the senate, the signature upon which was not his, but Plotina's. She had not done this in any previous instance.
2
At the time that he was declared emperor, Hadrian was in Antioch, the metropolis of Syria, of which he was governor. In a dream just before that day he seemed to see fire descend from heaven in the midst of clear sky and wholly fair weather and fall first upon the left of his throat and then upon the right also, though it neither frightened nor injured him. And Hadrian wrote to the senate, asking that his sovereignty be confirmed also by that body, and forbidding any measure to be voted (as was so often done) either then or thereafter that contained any special honor for him, unless he should first himself approve it.
The bones of Trajan were deposited in his column, and the so-called Parthian games continued for a number of years. At a later date even this observance, like many others, was abolished.
Hadrian's rule was in general most humane. [In a letter he expresses himself with the greatest degree of consideration for others and swears that he will neither do anything contrary to the public advantage nor put to death any senator, calling down destruction upon himself, if he shall transgress these principles in any way. But] Still he was spoken against on account of some murders of excellent men that he had sanctioned in the beginning of his reign and near the end of his life. And for this reason he came near not being enrolled among the heroes. Those murdered at the beginning were Palma and Celsus, Nigrinus and Lusius, the first two for the alleged reason that they had conspired against him during a hunt, and the others on certain other complaints, because they had great influence, or were in a strong position as regards wealth and fame. Hadrian felt so keenly the talk that was made about them that he defended himself and declared upon oath that he had not ordered their deaths. Those that perished at the end of the reign were Servianus and his grandson Fuscus.