The ancient city of Perge, located on the coast of southern Asia Minor in the Roman province of Pamphylia, provides a fascinating case study of elite benefaction in the Roman East. In Perge, Roman euergetism was common, with wealthy individuals contributing a portion of their wealth to their community. Affluent citizens funded public buildings, meals,… Continue reading Plancia Magna and the role of a Roman benefactress in Perge
After Pergamon and Sardis (see here), two other great cities of western Asia had their turn to receive Hadrian and his party, Smyrna and Ephesus. Both metropoleis were perennial rivals, competing for first place in the province and the coveted title of neokoros. Travelling with Hadrian was one of the most renowned sophists of his… Continue reading Summer AD 124 – Hadrian tours Asia (part 3), visits Smyrna and Ephesus and sails to Athens (#Hadrian1900)
In the summer of 124, Hadrian continued his journey through the province of Asia, heading south to visit the great cities of Pergamon, Sardis, Smyrna and Ephesus. From Hadrianotherae, where the Emperor had a successful bear hunt (see here), his route would have taken him up along the rugged Caicus River Valley, which joined Mysia's… Continue reading Summer AD 124 – Hadrian tours Asia (part 2) and visits Pergamon and Sardis (#Hadrian1900)
In the late spring of AD 124, Hadrian departed from Thrace (see here) and travelled back to Asia Minor, this time to the Roman province of Asia. He was accompanied by the sophist Polemon (Marcus Antonius Polemo) and his "soldiers and carriages." The imperial party's first destination was the peninsula of Cyzicus on the southern… Continue reading Summer AD 124 – Hadrian tours Asia (part 1), visits Cyzicus and Troy and hunts a she-bear (#Hadrian1900)
One thousand nine hundred years ago, Hadrian most likely celebrated the new year (year 871 Ab urbe condita) in Nicomedia, the capital of the province of Pontus and Bithynia in worth-west Asia Minor. After a short stay in Nicaea (see previous post here), Hadrian and his army continued to march towards Byzantium along the Gulf… Continue reading January AD 118 – Hadrian inaugurates the new year in Nicomedia (#Hadrian1900)
2017 was a very special year for me as the year marked the 1900th anniversary of the accession of Hadrian to the imperial throne and the start of my Hadrian 1900 project. I travelled to 9 countries, visited 57 new archaeological sites, 21 new archaeological museums and attended 4 exhibitions. Here’s an overview of my… Continue reading My 2017 travel round-up
Around the end of November 117, after crossing the plateau of central Bithynia, Hadrian arrived in Nicaea (modern Iznik), one of the most important towns of the Bithynian province. From Juliopolis, where he had stayed on November 11 (see previous post here), the imperial party marched west along the river Sangarius and entered Nicaea through… Continue reading Late November AD 117 – Hadrian arrives in Nicaea (#Hadrian1900)
After spending a few days in Ancyra, the Galatian capital (see previous post here), Hadrian continued to travel westward towards the Danube provinces. He reached the little town of Juliopolis just inside Bithynia on 11 November. Epigraphic evidence has revealed that Hadrian addressed a missive to Pergamum from Juliopolis, a formal letter of thanks to an… Continue reading 11 November AD 117 – Hadrian reaches Juliopolis in Bithynia (#Hadrian1900)
At the end of October 117, Hadrian arrived in Ancyra (modern Ankara, Turkey), the chief city of the province of Galatia. The Emperor was travelling back to Rome via the Danube region. He probably reached the Galatian capital by the end of October, as suggested by the itinerary inscription found in Rome (see previous posts… Continue reading End of October AD 117 – Hadrian reaches Ancyra in Galatia (#Hadrian1900)
On 17 October 117, Hadrian reached the city of Tyana, situated at the foot of the Taurus mountains near the Cilician Gates. Thanks to epigraphical evidence, a fragment of an itinerary found in Rome, we know that Hadrian left Antioch at the beginning of October 117 and travelled northwards towards Ancyra (modern Ankara). The inscription… Continue reading 17 October AD 117 – Hadrian arrives in Tyana (#Hadrian1900)
