Hall of fame: Hadrian
Hadrian became emperor in 117 A.D. He settled down and restored general order throughout the empire. He also was able to consolidate the administration at home. The Roman empire was a collection of areas occupied by Roman troops and they were administered by Roman citizens according to Roman law. Having a central government in Rome was almost impossible, while provincial governors were left to their own devices. Hadrian, however, managed to travel to all of the provinces in the empire and most of the outer confines as well. Hadrian was a man of wide learning and could speak Greek more fluently than Latin. He was a patron of art, literature, and education. He also helped the poor. Hadrian died in 138 A.D. His first successor died, so Hadrian made Antoninus take his place. http://www.the-romans.co.uk/good_emperors.htm