Hadrian was a great believer in visiting all parts of the Roman empire, and in 130 CE travelled to Egypt. This portrait head was made at the time of his visit, and is of a local dark stone called porphyry, which is an unusual and expensive material used only for portraits of emperors.

Although conscious of the need for military strength in his empire, Hadrian saw himself as a Grecophile and a man of culture. He reintroduced the fashion for beards, inspired by portraits of the Greek philosophers. In Rome he was responsible for many grand and lavish buildings that survive today, notably the Pantheon, his Villa at Tivoli, and his own Mausoleum