Having returned to Gaul from Britain (see here), Hadrian made his only known visit to his native land as emperor during the winter of AD 122/3. He took up his residence at Tarraco (Tarragona), Rome's oldest foundation on the Iberian Peninsula and the capital of Hispania Tarraconensis. Anthony Birley has proposed the identification of some… Continue reading Winter AD 122/3 – Hadrian stays in Tarraco and rebuilds the Temple of Augustus (#Hadrian1900)
The Archaeological Museum of Seville is currently hosting an exhibition to commemorate the 1900th anniversary of Hadrian's accession to the imperial throne. In AD 117 Hadrian inherited the control of the Roman Empire from Trajan who had been his guardian and had named him as his successor. The families of both men came from Spain,… Continue reading Exhibition: ‘Hadrian Metamorphosis: The birth of a new Rome’ in Seville (#Hadrian1900)
On a recent trip to Southern Spain, I travelled along the Roman Baetica Route and visited many of the archaeological sites and museums that Andalusia has to offer. Among the plethora of ancient treasures to be found in the region, I was particularly impressed by the incredible mosaics I came across. The Roman Baetica Route… Continue reading A guide to the mosaics along the Roman Baetica Route (Spain)
It appears that I will not be the only one celebrating next year: The Archaeological Museum of Seville in southern Spain is planning to host an exhibition in 2017 to commemorate the 1900th anniversary of the accession of Hadrian to the imperial throne. "Hadrian 2017. Metamorphosis: The birth of a new Rome." A colloquium entitled… Continue reading Seville to commemorate the 1900th anniversary of Hadrian’s accession to the throne (117-2017)
Today I was thrilled to discover that a beautiful bust of Hadrian had been excavated at the archaeological site of Los Torrejones in the Region of Murcia in Spain. The bust, characterized by its excellent condition, was discovered during archaeological digs at the site which ran from October to December 2014. It was only unveiled… Continue reading Exquisite marble bust of Hadrian found in Spain
This month's masterpieces from Hadrian's Villa are eight marble statues depicting seated muses. In Greek mythology, the Muses were sister goddesses of music, poetry, and other artistic and intellectual pursuits. Poets and other artists often called on them for inspiration. Zeus, the king of the gods, was the father of the Muses. Their mother was… Continue reading Art and sculptures from Hadrian’s Villa: Eight statues of seated Muses
Two weeks ago I returned to Madrid to visit the new Archaeological Museum. Spain's National Archaeological Museum reopened to the public six months ago after a massive six-year revamp that aimed at offering a state-of-the-art space for its collection of ancient artefacts. A total of 13,000 objects are on display in 40 rooms in a… Continue reading Roman mosaics from the National Archaeological Museum of Spain, Madrid
The Los Milagros Aqueduct (Acueducto de Los Milagros) is an incredibly well-preserved Roman water supply system in Mérida in Spain. Augusta Emerita was a Roman city in western Spain, modern Mérida, capital of the province of Lusitania. It was a very large city, which needed three aqueducts. The most impressive of these is the Los Milagros aqueduct "Miraculous Aqueduct".… Continue reading Picture of the day: Los Milagros Aqueduct, Augusta Emerita (Mérida, Spain)
