Hadrian’s Adoption Speech in Cassius Dio’s Roman History and the Problems of Imperial Succession

Bibliographic Data

ID9401564
AuthorsCaillan Davenport (0000-0002-2294-6855, The University of Queensland, corresponding author), Christopher Mallan (0000-0001-5237-6059)
Year2014
Volume135
Issue4
Pages637-668
Publication date2014-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe American Journal of Philology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0002-9475 • E-ISSN: 1086-3168
PublisherJohns Hopkins University Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1353/ajp.2014.0044
OpenAlexW2041179104
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited63

The adoption of Antoninus Pius provided Cassius Dio with the opportunity to insert into his narrative a speech delivered by Hadrian justifying the selection of his successor (69.20.1–5). This article examines the content of the speech and its relationship to Dio’s own thoughts on the mechanics of imperial succession expressed elsewhere in the Roman History . It is argued that the speech articulates Dio’s ideal mode of succession, which sees the promotion of a model civilis princeps , while subtly drawing attention to the problems inherent in a system where an emperor chooses his successor. Furthermore, it is suggested that these views may be read as Dio’s hostile reaction to the practices of his own day

Ancient history · Art · Ecological succession · Emperor · Epistemology · Ideal (ethics · Linguistics · Literature · Narrative · Political science · Politics · Promotion (chess · Selection (genetic algorithm · Successor cardinal · American Constitutional Law and Politics · Classical Antiquity Studies · Computer Science · History · Law · Mathematics · Organic Chemistry Synthesis Methods · Philosophy

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