Hadrian and the Cities of the Roman Empire

Mary Taliaferro Boatwright

• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN:
  9780691094939
  9780691048895
• eBook ISBN:
  9780691187211
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Roman Ancient History
• Index: History

Cities throughout the Roman Empire flourished during the reign of Hadrian (A.D. 117–138), a phenomenon that not only strengthened and legitimized Roman dominion over its possessions but also revealed Hadrian as a masterful negotiator of power relationships. In this comprehensive investigation into the vibrant urban life that existed under Hadrian's rule, Mary T. Boatwright focuses on the emperor's direct interactions with Rome's cities, exploring the many benefactions for which he was celebrated on coins and in literary works and inscriptions. Although such evidence is often as imprecise as it is laudatory, its collective analysis, undertaken for the first time together with all other related material, reveals that over 130 cities received at least one benefaction directly from Hadrian. The benefactions, mediated by members of the empire's municipal elite, touched all aspects of urban life; they included imperial patronage of temples and hero tombs, engineering projects, promotion of athletic and cultural competitions, settlement of boundary disputes, and remission of taxes.

Even as he manifested imperial benevolence, Hadrian reaffirmed the self-sufficiency and traditions of cities from Spain to Syria, the major exception being his harsh treatment of Jerusalem, which sparked the Third Jewish Revolt. Overall, the assembled evidence points to Hadrian's recognition of imperial munificence to cities as essential to the peace and prosperity of the empire. Boatwright's treatment of Hadrian and Rome's cities is unique in that it encompasses events throughout the empire, drawing insights from archaeology and art history as well as literature, economy, and religion.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• List of Illustrations and Tables
• Acknowledgments
• List of Abbreviations
• Chapter 1: Roman Cities and Roman Power: The Roman Empire and Hadrian
• Chapter 2: The Sources
• Chapter 3: Changes of City Status and Their Impact on City Life
• Chapter 4: Changes Affecting Cities’ Daily Governance and Economy
• Chapter 5: Civic Benefactions with Extramural Effects
• Chapter 6: Engineering and Architectural Donations
• Chapter 7: Athens, Smyrna, and Italica
• Chapter 8: City Foundations, New and Renewed
• Chapter 9: Hadrian’s Civic Benefactions and the Roman Empire
• Bibliography
• Index