«Hadrian’s Unifying Spirit: The emperor’s three ‘homelands’ in dialogue. ITALICA – ROME – ATHENS»

Hadrian’s personality combined a variety of elements and balanced both universal and local values, being the ultimate expression of an empire that encompassed diverse cultures, languages, and traditions. The unity of the empire through diversity is evident in his relationship with each of the three cities that can be considered as his
‘homelands’: Italica -his ancestors’ place of origin; Rome -the city where he grew up, the heart of his empire; and Athens -his beloved cultural ‘homeland’ whose citizenship he proudly held about his mid-thirties.

Efforts of three countries -Italy, Spain, and Greece- have been united in an innovative proposal for submitting a joint application for awarding the European Heritage Label to the three cities, based on Hadrian’s legacy. On the occasion of a meeting of this three-partite team in Athens, distinguished scholars from institutions of the participating sides, specialists on Hadrian and his three cities, will emphasize aspects of the emperor’s presence and influence in them, as well as on shared values that, inspired by him, united the Roman world.