Although the emperor Hadrian spent little time in Rome itself, he left his mark on the imperial capital in the form of art and architecture. Arguably his most famous achievement was the Pantheon, which he likely completed by 125 CE. It is made of brick and concrete and once displayed a marble façade. The Pantheon artfully synthesizes a traditional Greek front with a distinctly Roman cella. The roof consists of a dome and oculus; the latter illuminates the rotunda’s strikingly colourful marble flooring, columns, and alcoves. While the original purpose of the temple is unclear, the Pantheon survives virtually intact today as a converted church in the heart of Rome.
A larger structure designed by Hadrian, dedicated in 135, was the Temple of Venus and Roma. The temple was the largest to be constructed in Rome, and its position atop the Velia Hill added to its imposing appearance. It was notable for its symmetry, being composed of a double rectangular colonnade around two cellae arranged back to back. Even the temple’s goddesses echoed this design: Venus is the goddess of amor (“love”), making a palindrome of AMOR and ROMA. The temple’s remains are open to the public today.
Hadrian’s most opulent work was his countryside palace, located in Tivoli. Completed in 133/134, the Villa Adriana stretched over some 7 square miles (18 square km), resembling more a small city than a residence. One remarkable structure within this complex is the Maritime Theatre, a circular “villa within a villa” separated from the main grounds by a moat. Another famous section is the Canopus, a long pool representing the Nile with copies of various Greek statues along the perimeter. Surviving portions of the Villa Adriana provide a glimpse into the architectural prowess and cultural scope of the Roman Empire at its peak.