ABSTRACT
Hadrian continued the reforms his cousin and predecessor, Emperor Trajan, had begun in 96, and in so doing, helped ensure Rome one of its longest periods of peace and prosperity. Caesar Traianus Hadrianus Augustus, commonly known as Hadrian, was born Publius Aelius Hadrianus on January 24, 76, probably in Rome. After Emperor Nerva's death in 98, Trajan ascended to the throne. Trajan ensured that Hadrian served in posts that earned him rank and respect within the Roman administration. Although facing much anger for initially ordering the assassination of potential opponents, Hadrian quickly established his power base and began a series of popular reforms. He decreed a tax amnesty, organized important legal and administrative reforms, and encouraged learning and the arts. Hadrian promoted a Golden Age by ordering administrative reforms and patronizing the arts. Ironically, the methods used to achieve this legacy encouraged a slow ossification of the empire that later emperors could not reverse.
