[en] The aim of this paper is to study the letters that the Emperor Hadrian sent to the neoi of Pergamum, one of which contains the complete text and is preserved in two copies, and another of which only fragments have come down to us and whose recipients I suggest here were the neoi. These letters allow us to gain further insights into the emperor?s attitude towards the Greek gymnasiums and poleis. Hadrian strengthened the ties that Trajan had established with the Greek cities during the Parthian War, understanding that he could win over their living forces by supporting their gymnasiums. This was a step further in converting the civic oligarchies of the East into some of the most staunch supporters of imperial power. A number of individuals who acted as mediators were prime movers in the process of forging links between these cities and the emperor. With firm roots in their poleis, they were people who, due to some or other particular circumstance, had direct access to the emperor. One of the most outstanding was Aulus Julius Quadratus, the promoter of the second imperial cult temple at Pergamum. He also collaborated in the enlargement and adornment of the gymnasium of the neoi and was behind this association?s links to the emperor. Another key figure was Polemo of Smyrna. After having convinced the emperor to build a splendid gymnasium at Smyrna, he also promoted its counterpart at Pergamum, where he settled at the end of his life. Through the gymnasiums, Hadrian and the Greek aristocrats discovered a sphere of fruitful social and political collaboration that allowed the emperor to make himself felt at the very heart of civic life.

[es] En este art?culo me propongo estudiar las cartas que el emperador Adriano envi? a los Neoi de P?rgamo, una de ellas con el texto completo y conservada en dos copias, la otra transmitida en un estado muy fragmentario y cuyo destinatario propongo identificar con los Neoi. Estas cartas permiten conocer las actitudes del emperador hacia el gimnasio griego y las poleis. Adriano fortaleci? los lazos que Trajano, durante la Guerra P?rtica, hab?a establecido con las ciudades griegas. Adriano entendi? que pod?a obtener la lealtad de las fuerzas vivas de aquellas ciudades apoyando sus gimnasios. Este era un paso m?s en la conversi?n de las oligarqu?as c?vicas del Oriente en una firme base social del poder imperial. En este proceso de creaci?n de lazos entre las ciudades y el emperador se revelan como actores principales algunos individuos que actuaron de mediadores. Arraigados en su ciudad y comprometidos con su prosperidad, eran personas que, por alguna circunstancia particular, tuvieron acceso directo al emperador. Destaca Aulo Julio Cuadrato. Fue el promotor del segundo templo de culto imperial de P?rgamo. Colabor? tambi?n en la ampliaci?n y adorno del gimnasio de los Neoi e hizo posible la vinculaci?n de esta asociaci?n con el emperador. La otra figura clave es Polem?n de Esmirna. Despu?s de convencer al emperador para que construyera un espl?ndido gimnasio en Esmirna, favoreci? tambi?n al gimnasio de P?rgamo, ciudad en la que se instal? al final de su vida. Adriano y arist?cratas griegos encontraron en los gimnasios el ?mbito de una fruct?fera colaboraci?n social y pol?tica que permiti? que el emperador se hiciera presente en el coraz?n mismo de la vida c?vica.