THEME: Hadrian’s Wall
When Hadrian (b. 24 January AD 76) became supreme commander of the army and leader of the Roman Commonwealth at the age of 41, he had already spent over a third of his life in active service.
Hadrian began his career as a military tribune, working closely with the legates of three different legions. As legatus himself of Legio I Minervia, he took part on the front line in the Second Dacian War (AD 105–106). As governor of Pannonia Inferior, he was responsible for ensuring the integrity of the border along the Danube and for security within his province. He was close to the strategic and tactical decisions being made during Trajan’s Parthian War (AD 114-117), and became governor of Syria with command of its large garrison.
Now as emperor (), those hands-on experiences informed his view of how to address the many challenges of managing Rome’s sprawling
