Following Hadrian: A Second-century Journey Through the Roman Empire

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Description

Hadrian, the great, but flawed, Roman Emperor, was a traveller, intellectual and patron of the arts. But he was also melancholy, volatile and involved with at least one sinister death which affected his personality and ability to rule.

Elizabeth Speller tells the story of the most powerful man on earth in the second century against a background of his travels and intrigues, and the landscape and architecture of the time, much of which remains for today s travellers to marvel at.

Although soundly based on original sources and archaeology, the book concentrates on Hadrian the man and the atmosphere of his turbulent times.

Reviews

To combine a biography with a travel book is an attractive idea - Independent

A meandering though often interesting journey in the footsteps of the emperor - Independent on Sunday

Following Hadrian is in part a nice travel book, nicely achieved. Abridging political and diplomatic history...She is informative but eclectic in describing Hadrian's travels - Sunday Times

Of one thing, however, I am certain:anyone interested in the ancient world will want to read this book' 'Her book is an oddity- a rather wonderful and entrancing one - Literary Review

Anyone interested in the ancient world will want to read this book - Allan Massie, Literary Review

A clear-headed and accessible narrative of Hadrian's wandering reign - Times Literary Supplement

Author Bio

Elizabeth Speller began a peripatetic life in Oxford, lived in Italy and finally settled in Roman Corinium - Cirencester. She has had a number of jobs from waitress to university teacher, having read Classics and then Ancient History at Cambridge as a mature student. She has written for publications as varied as the Observer, the Big Issue and Erotic Review.