Hadrian (Rome)

Hadrian, emperor from 117 to 138, toured the eastern provinces in 129–130 and decided to refound Jerusalem, in ruins since 70, as a Roman colony called Aelia Capitolina, after his family name Aelius and the god Jupiter Capitolinus. According to Cassius Dio (69.12), the plan for a pagan city with a temple of Jupiter where the Temple had stood provoked the Bar Kokhba revolt of 132–135; later sources add a ban on circumcision. Hadrian sent his best commanders, probably came to Judea himself, and crushed the revolt at heavy cost to his own legions.

Afterwards Jews were barred from Jerusalem, and Rome renamed the province of Judea "Syria Palaestina" to erase its Jewish name. Rabbinic tradition remembers decrees against Torah study, ordination and circumcision, the age of the Ten Martyrs including Rabbi Akiva, and curses him by name: "Hadrian, may his bones be ground" (Genesis Rabbah 78:1). A bronze statue of Hadrian was found in 1975 at Tel Shalem near Beit She'an, by a Roman legionary camp, possibly part of a victory monument.