Hadrian and the Faces of Imperial Rome — Naples Archaeological Museum These marble busts aren’t anonymous Romans — they are power carved into stone. The first is Emperor Hadrian, instantly recognisable by his dense curls and full beard. Hadrian didn’t just rule the empire — he redefined how emperors looked. His beard signalled intellect, Greek philosophy, and a new model of authority that spread across Rome like a visual manifesto. Beside him stands his adopted successor, Antoninus Pius. Softer