Propylaeum

In summer 128 emperor Hadrian (117-139) went to Numidia to review the fighting skills of Rome’s African army. In speeches to the troops, he evaluated the maneuvers he witnessed. Afterwards the army recorded the speeches in an inscription on the parade ground at Lambaesis. Though shortened and broken by gaps, these are the only surviving speeches of an ancient emperor to his soldiers and thus offer unparalleled insight for understanding the training and fighting skills of the Roman army.

To recover as much of Hadrian’s speeches as possible is the purpose of this book, restoring the structure of the inscription and recreating a coherent text in order to hear Hadrian’s words ring again, down through the millennia.