Thanks (LB - Afermath)

Thanks to all who commented on the Lost Blogs postings. I revealed my character on the last day, because I was stepping on a plane for yet another short notice trip and would not have the chance to comment until after the weekend.

My character was guessed pretty early, if I take the post of sj, who asked "Does his name start with H, and he's pretty damn famous?" in an effort to draw me out on Day I. Just Another American Expat worked his way through a few Caesars, but nailed it on Day IV. By way of aside, it could not be Julius because he was covered by Paul's book.

I spent a week and a half hiking Hadrian's Wall last fall, and he seemed like a good character to cover. Famous, but not so famous that everyone would know who he is in the first couple of days.

I played a bit with the history, but tried to be faithful to it. I was writing from his perspective, so I was trying to see him as he might see himself at the time. He really seemed to be an intriguing character (literally as well as figuratively), but at the same time he did a lot of good for Rome and, more than most of his predecessors and followers, established what I consider to be the highpoint of the Empire and Pax Romana. He was indeed a consummate politician, and quite a few prospered under his reign both from his public works projects (the pork-barrel is an eternal fixture) as well as from the relative peace enjoyed by Rome through the cessation of the never-ending wars of expansion (modern politicians could do well by occasionally reading their history). Despite any good he did for the people and the Empire, Hadrian was utterly despised by most at the end of his reign -- and for a host of reasons.

I like to choose dead Romans because I can then write with a stilted writing style and you, gentle reader, have to decide if it is me or the character. My thanks to everybody for the positive feedback and participation. It was fun.