Hadrian’s life and world

Jun 7 2008 by Tony Henderson, The Journal

THE Emperor Hadrian has left his mark on life in the North East in more ways than his famous Wall. His impact can be also be measured in the long list of businesses and streets which bear his name.

Today, a conference will be held at Segedunum Roman Fort, Baths and Museum in Wallsend which will examine the man and his achievements.

The free event, which has been fully booked, is part of the programme accompanying the current Segedunum exhibition The Face of an Emperor: Hadrian Inspects the Wall.

Tomorrow will be the last chance to see the exhibition’s stunning bronze head that is a finely-modelled portrait of the Emperor in his prime.

The head is beautifully preserved and is one of the most important Hadrianic objects in the British Museum’s collection. It has never been seen outside London since its discovery in the River Thames in 1834. It is on loan to Segedunum as a precursor to the British Museum’s major new exhibition Hadrian: Empire and Conflict which will be on show in London from July 24 to October 26 .

The head comes from a statue, one and a quarter life-size, that may have been erected in a public space in London in AD122 to commemorate Hadrian’s visit to Britain. Thorsten Opper, curator of the British Museum’s Hadrian exhibition, will start the day’s proceedings with a talk entitled In search of Hadrian – a man who was a contradictory character.

Geoff Woodward, manager of North Tyneside Museums, said: “This conference provides a rare opportunity to hear some of the foremost historians and archaeologists in the field speak about Hadrian’s life and world. We are delighted to be able to hold such an important event to celebrate the loan of the bronze head of Hadrian from the British Museum.”

Conference speakers include Prof Tony Spawforth, of Newcastle University, on Hadrian’s love of Greek culture and learning; Prof Anthony Birley, of the Vindolanda Trust, on Hadrian’s Life; Prof Ian Haynes, of Newcastle University, on Hadrian in the newly conquered territory of Dacia, now Romania; Alexandra Croom, of Tyne and Wear Museums, on Hadrianic costume; John Poulter on how Hadrian’s Wall was planned; Prof David Breeze, of Historic Scotland, on Did Hadrian design Hadrian’s Wall?; and Paul Bidwell, of Tyne and Wear Museums, on Hadrian’s Wall on Tyneside.

Paul will talk on recent discoveries at excavated remains of the Wall in places like Byker and Throckley in Newcastle which have revealed defensive pits with sharpened and forked branches which would have made a formidable barrier between the front of the Wall and its ditch. “This was not the kind of system to stop just the occasional bandit attack but was probably against a much more concerted and organised attack,” said Paul.

The search is now on in Tyneside for the exact position of the Roman bridge, named after Hadrian, which spanned the Tyne.

It is thought to be in the region of the Swing Bridge and clues to its position have come from excavations at Bottle Bank in Gateshead prior to the building of the Hilton Hotel. It is thought that traces of the bridge may still be preserved under the banksides of the river.