Few political commentators ask what lies behind the thinking of those expressing boundless admiration for the Roman Empire in almost every quarter of present-day Western society. This comes across in the most sophisticated inquiries into ancient history, as witness Thorsten Opper's book "Hadrian: Empire and Conflict," to which the British Museum show that he curated, effectively serves as an illustration. Pictured, a detail of a Bronze patera recovered from the Cave of Letters (2nd century AD). © Isreal Museum, Jerusalem

While striving to put forward a balanced view, the historian cannot help giving a lyrical ring to his matter-of-fact statements: "For almost twenty-one years, from A.D. 117 to 138, Publius Aelius Hadrianus ruled one of the mightiest empires the world has ever seen" is the opening sentence to Opper's introduction, which explains that "at the heart of the empire was Rome, the largest city of the ancient Mediterranean, if not the globe, a pulsating capital of one million inhabitants." Pictured, a bronze torso and head of Hadrian from Beth Shean Tel Shalem (2nd century AD). © The Israel Museum, Jerusalem

As soon as Hadrian was proclaimed emperor, he pulled back his armies from Mesopotamia, Assyria and Greater Armenia. This did not look too good for the new emperor, who had been belatedly adopted by Trajan. Born in Rome into an Iberian family, Hadrian badly needed to legitimize his rule and spent a lifetime burnishing his image as a military hero. Pictured, a marble bust of Hadrian in military dress (125-130 AD). © Trustees of the British Museum

Permanent aspiration to domination over unwilling populations meant permanently perceived threats. In the westernmost "province" of the empire the situation was shaky. Hadrian appears to have waged not just one war, but two. In 122, the construction of Hadrian's Wall, running from east to west, was undertaken to keep out the "Barbarians" farther north. Pictured,a bronze head from a statue of the Emperor Hadrian, Roman Britain (120-130 AD). Found in the River Thames near London Bridge in 1834.   © Trustees of the British Museum

In 132 a furious uprising broke out in Judea, led by Simon Bar Kokhba, whose nom de guerre means in Hebrew "The Son of the Star." Well prepared, with arms caches and secret hideouts, the resistance beat two Roman legions and a dozen auxiliary regiments. As Jews in the surrounding areas and the non-Jewish communities of Judea sided with the insurgents, Bar Kokhba proclaimed himself "The Prince of Israel." Pictured, a glass plate from Alexandria. Found in the Cave of Letters. © The Israel Museum, Jerusalem

This was more than the "peaceful" Roman emperor could stomach. Hadrian took in hand the military operations, as is implied by inscriptions mentioning the "expeditio Judaica." Around 134, the battle-hardened governor of Britain, Sextus Julius Severus, was called in and, to quote Opper, "turned the war into a slow extermination campaign." Pictured, the Staffordshire Moorlands Pan (2nd century AD).  © British Museum

The only evidence of Hadrian's personal emotions is linked to his homosexual relationship with Antinous, who drowned in the Nile while the emperor and the Greek youth traveled upriver. Pictured, a statue of Antinous-Osiris: Roman marble sculpture (117-138 AD). © Musei Vaticani (Museo Gregoriano Egizio )

Distraught, Hadrian founded a new city, Antinopolis, to immortalize his memory but, as Opper remarks, this also fit in nicely with the emperor's active policy of encouraging Greek settlements in Egypt. The Egyptians in his entourage were encouraged to venerate Antinous as the incarnation of the god Osiris, and a statue of the young man, with the attributes of Osiris, was even erected in the Antinous shrine at Hadrian's villa. Pictured, a detail of the statue of Antinous-Osiris.  © Musei Vaticani (Museo Gregoriano Egizio)

The obsessive Hadrian surrounded himself with Antinous images. Ten marble portraits were recovered from his villa at Tivoli alone, and about 100 such images in all have been recorded. Pictured,a mondragone colossal head of Antinous from a Roman villa near Frascati (130-138 AD).© Hervé Lewandowski / Réunion des Musées Nationaux

They include the colossal head from a villa near Frascati, in the Rome area, and the life-size statue of Antinous as Aristaios, a Greek deity associated with the hunt. Pictured, a Roman marble sculpture (117-138AD). ).© Hervé Lewandowski / Réunion des Musées Nationaux

But with the exception of Antinous, Hadrian did not waste much love on his human brethren. His relations with Sabina, the daughter of Trajan's niece who became his wife at age 14, were difficult. The arranged marriage, which had opportunely strengthened Hadrian's position within the imperial circle, did little for the young woman, even if the emperor commissioned grand portraits of her. Pictured, a portrait the statue of Sabina (2nd century AD). © John Williams/Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici del Lazio

There is no indication whatsoever that the massacres perpetrated under his command ever weighed upon Hadrian's conscience. It was all done in the superior interest of the empire and of what Western historians like to call the "pax Romana," without batting an eyelash. Pictured, a bronze patera recovered from the Cave of Letters (2nd century AD). © The Israel Museum, Jerusalem

(source www.iht.com) Lire l'article de Souren Melikian "The 'peaceful' Hadrian and his endless wars' http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/08/23/arts/melik23.php