Editing Hadrian (section)

===Relationship with Trajan and his family===

Around the time of his quaestorship, in 100 or 101, Hadrian had married Trajan's seventeen- or eighteen-year-old grandniece, [[Vibia Sabina]]. Trajan himself seems to have been less than enthusiastic about the marriage, and with good reason, as the couple's relationship would prove to be scandalously poor.<ref>Robert H. Allen, ''The Classical Origins of Modern Homophobia'', Jefferson: Mcfarland, 2006, {{ISBN|978-0-7864-2349-1}}, p.{{nbsp}}120</ref> The marriage might have been arranged by Trajan's empress, Plotina. This highly cultured, influential woman shared many of Hadrian's values and interests, including the idea of the Roman Empire as a commonwealth with an underlying Hellenic culture.<ref>Hidalgo de la Vega, Maria José:  "Plotina, Sabina y Las Dos Faustinas: La Función de Las Augustas en La Politica Imperial". ''Studia historica, Historia antigua'', 18, 2000, pp. 191–224. Available at [http://campus.usal.es/~revistas_trabajo/index.php/0213-2052/article/viewFile/6224/6238]. Retrieved 11 January 2017</ref> If Hadrian were to be appointed Trajan's successor, Plotina and her extended family could retain their social profile and political influence after Trajan's death.<ref>Plotina may have sought to avoid the fate of her contemporary, former empress [[Domitia Longina]], who had fallen into social and political oblivion: see François Chausson, "Variétés Généalogiques IV:Cohésion, Collusions, Collisions: Une Autre Dynastie Antonine", in Giorgio Bonamente, Hartwin Brandt, eds., ''Historiae Augustae Colloquium Bambergense''. Bari: Edipuglia, 2007, {{ISBN|978-88-7228-492-6}}, p. 143</ref> Hadrian could also count on the support of his mother-in-law, [[Salonia Matidia]], who was the daughter of Trajan's beloved sister [[Ulpia Marciana]].<ref>Marasco, p. 375</ref><ref>Tracy Jennings, "A Man Among Gods: Evaluating the Significance of Hadrian's Acts of Deification." ''Journal of Undergraduate Research'': 54. Available at [http://www3.nd.edu/~ujournal/wp-content/uploads/Full-Print-Edition-with-cover_09-10.pdf#page=62] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170416045613/http://www3.nd.edu/~ujournal/wp-content/uploads/Full-Print-Edition-with-cover_09-10.pdf|date=16 April 2017}}. Accessed 15 April 2017</ref> When Ulpia Marciana died in 112, Trajan had her [[Imperial cult (ancient Rome)|deified]], and made Salonia Matidia an ''[[Augustus (title)#Feminine equivalent|Augusta]]''.<ref>This made Hadrian the first senator in history to have an ''Augusta'' as his mother-in-law, something that his contemporaries could not fail to notice: see Christer Brun, "Matidia die Jüngere", IN Anne Kolb, ed., ''Augustae. Machtbewusste Frauen am römischen Kaiserhof?: Herrschaftsstrukturen und Herrschaftspraxis II. Akten der Tagung in Zürich 18–20. 9. 2008''. Berlin: Akademie Verlag, 2010, {{ISBN|978-3-05-004898-7}}, p.{{nbsp}}230</ref>

[[File:(Toulouse) Buste de Trajan type dit 'des Decennalia' - Musée Saint-Raymond, Ra 58 b.jpg|thumb|upright|Bust of Emperor [[Trajan]]; [[Musée Saint-Raymond]], Toulouse]]
Hadrian's personal relationship with [[Trajan]] was complex and may have been difficult. Hadrian seems to have sought influence over Trajan, or Trajan's decisions, through cultivation of the latter's boy favourites; this gave rise to some unexplained quarrel, around the time of Hadrian's marriage to Sabina.<ref>Thorsten Opper, ''Hadrian: Empire and Conflict''. Harvard University Press, 2008, p. 170</ref><ref>David L. Balch, Carolyn Osiek, eds., ''Early Christian Families in Context: An Interdisciplinary Dialogue''. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2003, {{ISBN|0-8028-3986-X}}, p.{{nbsp}}301</ref> Late in Trajan's reign, Hadrian failed to achieve a senior consulship, being only suffect consul for 108;<ref>Anthony R Birley, ''Hadrian: The Restless Emperor'', p.{{nbsp}}54</ref> this gave him parity of status with other members of the senatorial nobility,<ref>Alan K. Bowman, Peter Garnsey, Dominic Rathbone, eds., ''The Cambridge Ancient History'', XI, p. 133</ref> but no particular distinction befitting an heir designate.<ref>Mackay, Christopher. ''Ancient Rome: a Military and Political History''. Cambridge U. Press: 2007, {{ISBN|0-521-80918-5}}, p.{{nbsp}}229</ref> Had Trajan wished it, he could have promoted his protege to [[Patrician (ancient Rome)|patrician]] rank and its privileges, which included opportunities for a fast track to consulship without prior experience as tribune; he chose not to.<ref>Fündling, 335</ref> While Hadrian seems to have been granted the office of tribune of the plebs a year or so younger than was customary, he had to leave Dacia, and Trajan, to take up the appointment; Trajan might simply have wanted him out of the way.<ref>Gabriele Marasco, ed., ''Political Autobiographies and Memoirs in Antiquity: A Brill Companion''. Leiden: Brill, 2011, {{ISBN|978-90-04-18299-8}}, p.{{nbsp}}375</ref> The ''[[Historia Augusta]]'' describes Trajan's gift to Hadrian of a diamond ring that Trajan himself had received from [[Nerva]], which "encouraged [Hadrian's] hopes of succeeding to the throne".<ref>''Historia Augusta'', ''Life of Hadrian'', 3.7</ref><ref>In 23 BC [[Augustus]] handed a similar ring to his heir apparent, [[Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa|Agrippa]]: see Judith Lynn Sebesta, [[Larissa Bonfante]], eds., ''The World of Roman Costume''. University of Wisconsin Press, 1994, p.&nbsp;78</ref> While Trajan actively promoted Hadrian's advancement, he did so with caution.<ref>Fündling, 351</ref>