During the reign of Emperor Hadrian (reigned 117–138 CE), urban patronage became a central tool of imperial governance and representation. Unlike his predecessor Trajan, whose rule emphasized territorial expansion, Hadrian focused on consolidation, integration, and the symbolic projection of Roman authority across the provinces. One expression of this policy was the founding, refounding, or renaming of cities in his honor, most commonly as Hadrianopolis (Ἁδριανούπολις), linking local urban identities directly to the emperor and the imperial center.
These acts were not merely honorific. Cities associated with Hadrian often received elevated legal status, new civic institutions, monumental architecture, and infrastructure improvements, reinforcing loyalty while embedding Roman administrative and cultural norms. Hadrian’s extensive travels allowed him to engage directly with provincial elites, using urban development to stabilize frontiers, reward cooperation, and promote a shared imperial identity. In this way, cities bearing his name became enduring markers of a broader imperial strategy, one that favored cultural integration and administrative cohesion over conquest, and helped sustain the Roman Empire during the high point of its territorial reach.
Notable examples include:
- Hadrianopolis (modern Edirne, Turkey) – A prominent Roman, Byzantine, and later Ottoman city.
- Antinoöpolis (Egypt) – Founded in 130 CE in memory of Hadrian’s beloved Antinous, who drowned in the Nile.
- Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem) – After crushing the Bar Kokhba Revolt (132–136 CE), Hadrian rebuilt Jerusalem as Aelia Capitolina banned Jewish practices and dedicated the city to Jupiter Capitolinus.
- Hadrianopolis (modern Amasea, Turkey) – The city of Amasea in Pontus was enhanced under Hadrian.
- Hadrianopolis (modern Neocaesarea/Niksar, Turkey) – The Pontic city of Neocaesarea was strengthened and expanded, gaining the name Hadrianopolis.
- Hadrianopolis (modern Napoca/Cluj-Napoca, Romania) – Hadrian granted municipal status to Napoca, renaming it Hadrianopolis and expanding its importance in the province of Dacia.
- Colonia Hadriana (Carthage, Tunisia) – Hadrian refounded Carthage as Colonia Hadriana, reviving the city as an important Roman hub in North Africa.
- Hadrianopolis (Bulla Regia, Tunisia) – The North African city of Bulla Regia received Hadrian’s patronage and was temporarily renamed Hadrianopolis.
- Colonia Aelia Augusta Italica (Italica, Spain) – Hadrian’s birthplace, Italica, was expanded and renamed Colonia Aelia Augusta Italica in his honor.
- The Hadrianic Quarter in Athens – Hadrian transformed Athens into a major cultural center, sponsoring the construction of an entirely new district, including the Library of Hadrian and the Arch of Hadrian, which symbolized the city’s new era under Roman rule.
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Cite This Work
APA Style
Netchev, S. (2025, March 11). Cities Founded or Renamed in Hadrian’s Name (117 -138 CE). World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20133/cities-founded-or-renamed-in-hadrians-name-117--13/
Chicago Style
Netchev, Simeon. "Cities Founded or Renamed in Hadrian’s Name (117 -138 CE)." World History Encyclopedia, March 11, 2025. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20133/cities-founded-or-renamed-in-hadrians-name-117--13/.
MLA Style
Netchev, Simeon. "Cities Founded or Renamed in Hadrian’s Name (117 -138 CE)." World History Encyclopedia, 11 Mar 2025, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20133/cities-founded-or-renamed-in-hadrians-name-117--13/.
