Hadrian's Library was a monumental building created by
Roman Emperor Hadrian
Hadrian ( ; ; 24 January 76 – 10 July 138) was Roman emperor from 117 to 138. Hadrian was born in Italica, close to modern Seville in Spain, an Italic peoples, Italic settlement in Hispania Baetica; his branch of the Aelia gens, Aelia '' ...
in AD 132 on the north side of the
Acropolis of Athens
The Acropolis of Athens (; ) is an ancient citadel located on a rocky outcrop above the city of Athens, Greece, and contains the remains of several Ancient Greek architecture, ancient buildings of great architectural and historical significance, ...
.
The main entrance to the library was part of the Stoa of Hadrian with columns of
Karystian marble and
Pentelic capitals.
The building followed a
Roman forum
A forum (Latin: ''forum'', "public place outdoors", : ''fora''; English : either ''fora'' or ''forums'') was a public square in a municipium, or any civitas, of Ancient Rome reserved primarily for the vending of goods; i.e., a marketplace, alon ...
architectural style, having only one entrance with a
propylon of
Corinthian order
The Corinthian order (, ''Korinthiakós rythmós''; ) is the last developed and most ornate of the three principal classical orders of Ancient Greek architecture and Ancient Roman architecture, Roman architecture. The other two are the Doric or ...
, a high surrounding wall with protruding niches (''
oikoi'', ''
exedra
An exedra (: exedras or exedrae) is a semicircular architecture, architectural recess or platform, sometimes crowned by a semi-dome, and either set into a building's façade or free-standing. The original Greek word ''ἐξέδρα'' ('a seat ou ...
e'') at its long sides, an inner courtyard surrounded by columns and a decorative oblong pool in the middle.
The library was on the eastern side where rolls of
papyrus
Papyrus ( ) is a material similar to thick paper that was used in ancient times as a writing surface. It was made from the pith of the papyrus plant, ''Cyperus papyrus'', a wetland sedge. ''Papyrus'' (plural: ''papyri'' or ''papyruses'') can a ...
"books" were kept. Adjoining halls were used as reading rooms, and the corners served as lecture halls.
The library was seriously damaged by the
Herulian invasion of 267 and repaired by the prefect Herculius in 407–412.
The library was later incorporated into the Roman city walls.
During
Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...
times, three churches were built at the site, the remains of which are preserved:
*a
tetraconch (5th century)
*a three-aisled
basilica
In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica (Greek Basiliké) was a large public building with multiple functions that was typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek Eas ...
(7th century), and
*a simple
cathedral
A cathedral is a church (building), church that contains the of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, Annual conferences within Methodism, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually s ...
(12th century), which was the first cathedral of the city, known as
Megali Panagia.
Around the same period as the cathedral another church,
Agios Asomatos sta Skalia, was built against the north facade, but it is not preserved. A colossal
statue of the goddess Nike/Victoria is exhibited on the site, excavated in the Library in 1988.
Hadrian
Hadrian ( ; ; 24 January 76 – 10 July 138) was Roman emperor from 117 to 138. Hadrian was born in Italica, close to modern Seville in Spain, an Italic peoples, Italic settlement in Hispania Baetica; his branch of the Aelia gens, Aelia '' ...
File:Athens - Library of Hadrian - sculpture 01.jpg, Relief fragment of a Gorgoneion. Museum at Hadrian's Library. 2nd century
File:The backside of the facade of Hadrian's Library in Athens.jpg, The rear of the facade
See also
*
Library of Pantainos
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
132
Buildings and structures completed in the 2nd century
Ancient Greek buildings and structures in Athens
Landmarks in Athens
Ancient Roman buildings and structures in Greece
Roman Athens
Library
A library is a collection of Book, books, and possibly other Document, materials and Media (communication), media, that is accessible for use by its members and members of allied institutions. Libraries provide physical (hard copies) or electron ...
Ancient libraries
Libraries in Greece