Hadrian is the protagonist and narrator of the novel. The narrative of the novel is told as a letter that Hadrian writes as an old man dying from heart disease. He is writing to his successor, Marcus Aurelius.
Hadrian is born in Italica to a Spanish family, and he studies in Spain and Greece. During this time he develops what with be a lifelong love of Greece. He also trains in the military. During the waning days of Domitian's reign, he goes to Rome and works several years as a judge. There, he lives a life of debauchery until he returns to active duty in the Pyrenees.
During his time in the Pyrenees, the emperor Domitian and his successor Nerva die, and Hadrian's cousin Trajan takes the throne. Trajan is uncertain of Hadrian's value and skills, but.....
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