The Apologists · AD 130–180 · External witness
Emperor Hadrian
d. AD 138 · Roman Emperor (117–138) · Rome
External witness
Who Emperor Hadrian was
The traveller-emperor who received the first apologies — those of Quadratus and Aristides, by Eusebius’s account, presented during his Athenian sojourns — and who issued a rescript to the proconsul Minucius Fundanus, quoted in full by Justin, curbing mob accusations: Christians were to be punished only if genuinely convicted of breaking the law, and false accusers were themselves to be penalized. His crushing of the Bar Kokhba revolt (132–135) and refounding of Jerusalem as the pagan Aelia Capitolina ended the Hebrew church of the circumcision. To the apologists he was the reachable, reasoning emperor; to the Jewish-Christian remnant, the destroyer of their city.
Also listed in non-christian witnesses and roman emperors.
Common questions
When did Emperor Hadrian die?
Emperor Hadrian is dated d. AD 138 in the archive, which places Emperor Hadrian in the Apologists (AD 130–180).
What did Emperor Hadrian write?
Emperor Hadrian has 1 catalogued writing in the archive: Rescript to Minucius Fundanus.
Which early sources mention Emperor Hadrian?
Emperor Hadrian is named in 3 primary-source passages catalogued here, drawn from Justin Martyr, Eusebius of Caesarea and Jerome of Stridon. Every passage is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Where was Emperor Hadrian from?
The archive associates Emperor Hadrian with Rome.
Writings (1)
Rescript to Minucius Fundanus
c. AD 124–125If any one accuses falsely, judge of his wickedness, and see to it that he suffers punishment.Read the interlinear source text →
Primary-source mentions (3)
Every passage below is quoted from a named public-domain translation, earliest first.
Rescript to Minucius Fundanus, in Justin, First Apology 68
c. AD 155If any one accuses them and shows that they are doing anything contrary to the laws, do you pass judgment according to the heinousness of the crime. But, by Hercules, if any one bring an accusation through mere calumny, decide in favour of the heavier penalty against the accuser.Justin Martyr · 68 · source text
Ecclesiastical History IV.8–9 (the rescript preserved)
c. AD 325Chronicle of Jerome (his reign annotated)
c. AD 380Connected in the archive
People
- Quadratus of Athens
- Aristides of Athens
- Judas of Jerusalem
- Emperor Antoninus Pius
- Emperor Trajan
- Serennius Granianus
- Aquila the Translator
- Simon bar Kokhba
- Agrippa Castor
- Minucius Fundanus
Events in this lifetime
- AD 70 · The fall of Jerusalem, AD 70
- AD 95 · Domitian’s reprisals, AD 95
- AD 96 · Rome writes to Corinth: 1 Clement, AD 96
- AD 112 · Pliny writes Trajan, AD 112
- AD 117 · Symeon and Ignatius martyred, AD 117
- AD 135 · Bar Kokhba crushed; Aelia Capitolina, AD 135
Place
Places served
The one place the sources put Emperor Hadrian.
- 1Rome