25th February

On this day in history in 138, the Roman Emperor Hadrian adopted Titus Aurelius Fulvus Boionius Arrius Antoninus. Antoninus recieved tribunician power and imperium, and was officially Hadrian's successor. Three years later he would begin his reign in Rome as 'Antoninus Pius', the fourth of the 'Five Good Emperors'. The fifth would be Marcus Aurelius, a member of the Aurelii Fulvii family and nephew of Antoninus Pius.

{Image source: taken by Ricardo André Frantz of the bust of Hadrian in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens}