19 September – On this day 

Titus Fulvus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Augustus Pius, one of the five good emperors was born on this day. He received the name Pius because after Hadrian’s death he forced the Senate to deify his predecessor. Hadrian was not going to be deified because he had ordered the deaths of some Senators. He became emperor in AD 138 after being adopted by Hadrian, and presided over a relatively peaceful period, although there were some military disturbances and he is responsible for the construction of the Antonine wall in Britain.

 

 

Feature image: “Antoninus Pius BM Sc1463” by Unknown – Jastrow (2007). Licensed under CC BY 2.5 via Commons