Back to Ancient History Sourcebook | Ancient History Sourcebook: Aelius Spartianus: The Life of Hadrian I. The original home of the family of the Emperor Hadrian was Picenum, the later, Spain; for Hadrian himself relates in his autobiography that his forefathers came from Hadria, but settled in Italica in the time of the Scipios. The father of Hadrian was Aelius Hadrianus, surnamed Afer, a ...