Giant statue of Emperor Hadrian, unearthed near Antalya, Turkey in August 2007. © Jon Pratty/Culture 24

While most of us have heard of Hadrian’s Wall, one of the most spectacular surviving relics from the reign of the Roman Empire, little is known about the enigmatic emperor himself, and this is the subject of the summer blockbuster at the British Museum.

Hadrian: Empire and Conflict, running until October 26, 2008, explores the life, love and legacy of one of history’s most revered rulers.

Housed in the magnificent Round Reading Room, the exhibition showcases more than 180 objects, including striking sculpture and bronzes, ancient artefacts and recent archaeological findings, sourced from 28 different museums worldwide.

It is the second in a series about influential leaders who shaped the world, following in the footsteps of The First Emperor: China’s Terracotta Army, which featured at the museum earlier this year.

Thorsten Opper, curator of the exhibition explained: “Hadrian was an extremely successful emperor who left an immense and enduring legacy, but one that is often not recognised or appreciated. This exhibition will allow for a reassessment of his character, his life, love and legacy.”

Publius Aelinus Hadrianus was born on January 24, AD 76, in Italica, a city near modern day Seville, in Spain. He was later adopted by the emperor Trajan, who, on his deathbed, named Hadrian his successor, with beloved daughter, Sabine, destined to become his new wife.

But unlike Trajan, Hadrian’s life was confused by conflict and contradiction; as a homosexual and passionate lover of art and architecture, he was constantly at odds with his desire to ultimately divide and conquer.

Perhaps it is this yearning for power that led him to eclipse Trajan as one of the most iconic rulers in the history of the Roman Empire.

Stone-carved bust of Hadrian. © Jon Pratty/ Culture 24

The show opens with fragments of a colossal five-metre-tall statue of Hadrian, including the head, torso, leg and foot, which were recently discovered last August in the ancient city of Sagalassos, southwestern Turkey.

Hadrian is said to be one of the first emperors to sport a beard – thought to cover up blemishes – while a distinctive diagonal crease across the top of his ear lobe tellingly suggests genetically inherited cardiac problems.

Such sensational sculptures were traditionally reserved to celebrate the gods, highlighting the impact of Hadrian’s reign.

By the time the young emperor came to power in AD 117, the Roman Empire stretched from Europe to northern Africa and the Middle East. However, battling against widespread rebellion, he immediately recognised the imperial overstretch and acted by withdrawing forces from Mesopotamia, now present day Iraq.

Hadrian’s reign was marked by many military accomplishments, but few were more controversial than his conflict with the Jews.

During a visit to Judea (Israel) around AD 130, he ordered that Jerusalem be replaced with a new city, paying homage to the supreme Roman god, Jupiter. He also introduced a ban against circumcision, causing a revolt led by Simon Bar Kokhba, which saw thousands of Jewish refugees fleeing to nearby caves for safety.

A few of their precious possessions, including perfectly preserved jewellery boxes, mirrors and glass bowls, are shown alongside some rather disturbing Roman torture devices. It was three years before the empire regained control against the mutiny.

Hadrian’s love of architecture was equally well documented, and his arrival in Britain in AD 122 heralded the beginning of work on his infamous wall.

Stretching more than 117km, Hadrian’s Wall extended from Newcastle to Carlisle, although it is now thought to be a symbol of power rather than an imposition of order. It took some 8,000 men more than six years to construct, and the museum has acquired an interesting collection of their rather primitive looking tools, including iron cutters, picks and hammers.

Bronze head of Hadrian, 2nd century AD, found in the river Thames near London Bridge. © Jon Pratty/ Culture 24

Another of Hadrian’s remarkable architectural achievements is the world famous Pantheon, built in Rome in AD 125. A replica of the structure, which set the standard for many subsequent domes, serves to show the emperor’s incredible eye for detail, with clever use of coloured marble and rare stone.

Just a few miles east of the Italian capital lies Hadrian’s magnificent villa complex, Tivoli, which is equally impressive, and, as a model on show illustrates, could easily been likened to a miniature empire.

But despite his obvious passion for architecture, the emperor was desperately devoted to his young Greek lover, Antinous, and even became known as Graeculus (the Greekling) for his love of the country’s culture.

The Romans never invented a word for homosexuality, and at the time, it was perfectly acceptable to take a young male lover in addition to a wife – Sabine, who married Hadrian in AD 100, would certainly never have made any obvious objection to the partnership.

Tragically in AD 130, Antinous drowned in mysterious circumstances in Egypt. Consumed by grief, a heartbroken Hadrian founded a new city, Antinouplis, in honour of his dead lover. He also deified him by linking him with the Egyptian god, Osiris, leading to him being worshipped across the empire.

The exhibition boasts just a small sample of the many sculptures dedicated to Antinous, whose stunningly beautiful Adonis-like looks could be likened to Michelangelo’s David.

Hadrian died aged 62 on July 10, AD 138, in a final battle with ill health and coronary heart disease. In a striking parallel to The First Emperor, his glorious if somewhat brutal reign has secured him the ultimate in enduring legacies.