Hadrian, Hellenism, and the Social History of Art

Hadrian's portrayal as a 'philhellenic' emperor, often depicted with a beard to symbolize Greekness, may be more complex than previously thought. This study challenges the notion that his cultural patronage was solely driven by admiration for classical Greece, suggesting instead that his visual representation reflects broader Roman imperial imagery, including that of generals and deities like Jupiter and Mars. The research examines surviving visual records, such as a statue from Hierapytna in Crete, which depicts Hadrian as a cuirassed general trampling a barbarian—contrasting with the literary portrayal of him as a Renaissance man. By analyzing both textual and material culture, including the debunking of a 19th-century pastiche image, this study argues that Hadrian's cultural identity was more nuanced, shaped by Roman military and political symbolism rather than purely Hellenic aspirations.

VOUT, C. (2010). Hadrian, Hellenism, and the Social History of Art. Arion: A Journal of the Humanities and the Classics, 18(1), 55–78. https://doi.org/10.1353/arn.2010.0032