KritH-en. 1852, ii, 258). Henderson {Comment, ad loc.) supposes it to be only a corruption of TlH, the com- mon names of the kings of Syria. See Hadar. Jarchi and Kimchi say, " Rabbi Juda interpreted it as an al- legorical expression relating to the Messiah, AVho is harsh (^n) to the heathen, and gentle (~"i) to Israel" Jerome's interiiretation is somewhat similar: "Et est ordo verborum ; assumptio verbi Domini, acuii in pec- catores, mollis in justos. Adrach quippe hoc resonat ex duobus integris nomen compositum : Ad {^U) aciitum, KACH (~1) molle, ieneruvique signilicans" {Comment, in Zach. ad loc). Hengstenberg {Christol. iii, 372) adopts the same etymology and meaning, but regards the word as a symbolical apjiellation of the Persian empire, whose overthrow by Alexander Zechariah here foretells. He says the prophet does not mention the real name, be- cause, as he lived during the supremacy of Persia, such a reference woidd have exposed him to danger. See Zechariah, Book of.
Looking at the passage in what appears to be its plain and natural meaning, no scholar can deny that, according to the usual construction, the proper name following I'^iN is the name of the "land" itself, or of the nation inhabiting the land, and the analogy pre- sented by all the other names in the section is sufficient proof that this must be the case here (Hengstenberg, iii, 375). All the other names mentioned are well known— Damascus, Hamath, Tjtc, Zidon, Gaza, etc. ; it is natiu-al to infer that Hadrach is also the name of a place known to the prophet. Its position is not accu- rately defined. The words of the passage do not con- nect it more closely with Damascus than with Hamath. It is remarkable that no such name is elsewhere foiuid in ar.cient writers. The translators of the Sept. were ignorant of it. So was Jerome. No such place is now known. Y'et this does not prove that there never was such a name. ]\Iany ancient names have disappeared, as it seems to be tiie case with this (see Alphens, Diss, de terra Chadrach, Tr. ad Ehen. 1723 ; also in Ugoliuo, vii) — Kittto, s. V. See Damascus.
Hadrian, Pope. See Adrian.
Hadrianus, P. ^Ejiilius, the 14th Roman empe- ror (from A.D. 117-138), was a relative and the ward of Trajan, and mariied Julia Sabina, the granddaughter of Marciana, sister of that emperor. In regard to the place of his birth, the statement of Spartianus {Be vita /fadriani, i) that he was born at Rome Jan. 24, A.D. 7C), is generally regarded as the more reliable, though otliers name Italica in Spain, where his ancestors had settled iu the time of Scipio (see Eutropius, viii, 6, and Knscliiiis, Chroiiicon,'i^o. 215.5, p. 16G,ed. Scaliger). Aid- ed l)y the jircfercnce of Trajan's wife, Plotina, and sho^v- ing himself capable in the positions intrusted to him, he rose raiiidly, and on the death of Trajan succeeded to the empire, having been either really adopted as his suc- cessor by that emperor, or palmed off as such by Plotina and her party. For a statement of the conflicting opin- ions on this point, see Spartiaiuis {De vita Hadriani, i-\-) and Dion Cassius (Ixix, 1). 'NMien Hadrian assumed the reins of government (A.D. 117), he found the quiet of the emjiire threatened at several points, but, adopting a general policy of jieace, he succeeded in preventing out- breaks and invasions in nearly even,' instance. In fur- therance of this peaceful policy, he withdrew the legions from the conquests of his predecessor beyond the Tigris and I^ujihrates, and wotdd have also abandoned Dacia hail not pojiulous Roman colonies existed there.
Impelled by curiosity, or, more probably, by a desire to see for liimself the condition of the ernpire, he jour- neyed extensively through it, leaving everj^where mon- uments of his munificence in temples, aqueducts, and other useful or ornamental works. He made many improvements in the laws, and the Edict inn perpetnuni ■ (a codification of prwtorial edicts made bv his
lladn
orders) marked an sera in the historical development of
HAEMORRHAGE
13
HAE]MSTEDE
the Roman law. Hadrian, though a vohiptuary in pri- vate life, was a patron of the arts and of learning: was fond of the society of artists, i)oets, scholars, philoso- phers, etc., and even aspired to rank among them ; but his inferior taste, his jealousy, his overweening vanity, and his impatience of rivalry and contradiction led him often to acts of cruel injustice towards the learned men he gatliercd about him.
His conduct towards the Christians was marked by a sense of justice. The jiroconsul of Asia Minor having complained to Hadrian that the people at their festivals demanded tlic execution of Christians, he issued a re- script forbidding such executions, and retpiiring that all complaints against the Christians should be made in legal fi)rm. Though this edict failed to secure immu- nit}"- to Christians from persecution, since the fourth persecution occurred during his reign, Hadrian was not classed by Melito, Tertidlian, or Eusebiiis among their persecutors, and his reign is regarded as in general favor- able to the progress of Christianity, ^lius Lam]irid- ius (Alexander Seve7-us, 43), indeed, mentions a report that Hadrian purposed to erect temples to Christ, as one of the go(ls, but was deterred by the priests, ^vho declared tliat all would become Christians if he did so. This story is, however, generally regarded as un^vorthy of credit. The tolerant spirit or indifference of Hadrian towards religi(nis opinions and practices disapproved of and even ridiculed by him is shown by his letter to Ser- vianus, preserved in Yopiscus (Sevo'iis, 8), and by the fact that though a zealous worshipper of the Sacr<( of his native country, he also adopted the Egyptian Ciiltiis,