page_title: Gaius Fabius Hadrianus
section_title: A controversial career
hierarchical_section_title: Gaius Fabius Hadrianus / A controversial career
caption_attribution_description: English: Coin (denomination as) issued by C. Fabius Hadrianus in 102 BC, depicting the Roman god Janus and the prow of a galley with stork. Uncial standard. Rome mint. Crawford 322/2; Sydenham 591. Rare; only five specimens known.
context_page_description: Gaius Fabius Hadrianus was praetor in 84 BC and propraetor 83–82 in the Roman province of Africa. He is known primarily for the sensational circumstances of his death: during an uprising at the beginning of Sulla's second civil war, the governor’s residence was set on fire and Hadrianus was burned alive.
context_section_description: Next to nothing is known of the early career of Hadrianus. He has been identified with the C. Fabius Hadrianus who was a moneyer (monetalis) in 102 BC; several examples of his coins are known.
  Following his praetorship in 84, Hadrianus forced out Metellus Pius, his predecessor as governor of Africa and a partisan of Sulla. An alternative view is that Metellus did not hold a legitimate governorship, but was attempting to seize power in Africa in 84 when Hadrianus held a duly appointed office. Since Hadrianus began his term during the last consulship of Cornelius Cinna, he is usually considered in league with the populares. His governorship would have redirected tribute from Africa to the cause of Cinna and the Marians.
  Metellus fled to Numidia and the protection of Hiempsal II. Hadrianus allied with Hiarbas, a rival for the Numidian kingship, and succeeded in temporarily ousting Hiempsal, who hid out with Metellus and his men in Mauretania under the protection of Bocchus I. The actions of Hadrianus incurred the enmity of the pro-Sullan upper classes in Africa. During an uprising in Utica (in modern-day Tunisia), he was killed when the official residence was set on fire. The sources uniformly emphasize that he was burned alive.
caption: Coin issued by C. Fabius Hadrianus in 102 BC, depicting the god Janus and the prow of a galley (Classical Numismatics Group)
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