Elis (Olympia), Peloponessos, Hadrian, 125 AD., Hemiassarion, unlisted

Elis (Olympia), Peloponessos, Hadrian (117-138), ca. 125 AD., (the 126th Olympiad),
Hemiassarion / Æ18 (ø 18-19 mm / 5,73 g), bronze, axes about coin alignment ↑↓ (ca. 210°),
Obv.: [AYTO]KPA - TωP AΔPIANO[C] , bare-headed, draped and cuirassed bust of Hadrian facing right, seen from behind.
Rev.: [H]ΛЄI - ωN , Zeus standing half right, holding thunderbolt in his lowered right and eagle on extended left hand.
unlisted ; BMC - (cf. p. 76, no. 159 - pl. XVI, no. 5 : Hadrian laureate, fulminating Zeus striding to right, hurling thunderbolt) ; online databases - .

Hadrian´s infatuation with Greek culture predated his reign: his first documented visit to Greece was in 111-112, during which he was made an honorary citizen of Athens and was elected archon eponymus. This was the most important magistracy in Athens, and that year in Athenian history took the name of the 36-year-old future emperor. The Athenians knew of Hadrian’s importance, and their gestures paid off well, for when he became emperor Hadrian lavished Greece – particularly Athens – as would no other emperor in the history of Rome.
Emperor Hadrian visited Athens at least three times: 124, 128/9 and 131/2 AD. Hadrian paid for many capital improvements in Greece – new temples, statues and monuments were erected, and dilapidated ones were restored.
During his last visit to Athens Hadrian attended a revitalization of the mysteries of Eleusis and presided at the consecration of the newly completed temple of Olympian Zeus. In 124-125 AD, when the strongly Philhellene Hadrian visited Athens, a massive building programme was begun that included the completion of the Temple of Olympian Zeus. A walled marble-paved precinct was constructed around the temple, making it a central focus of the ancient city. Cossutius's design was used with few changes and the temple was formally dedicated by Hadrian in 132, who took the title of "Panhellenios" in commemoration of the occasion.[2] The temple and the surrounding precinct were adorned with numerous statues depicting Hadrian, the gods and personifications of the Roman provinces. A colossal statue of Hadrian was raised behind the building by the people of Athens in honour of the emperor's generosity. An equally colossal chryselephantine statue of Zeus occupied the cella of the temple. The statue's form of construction was unusual, as the use of chryselephantine was by this time regarded as archaic. It has been suggested that Hadrian was deliberately imitating Phidias' famous statue of Athena Parthenos in the Parthenon, seeking to draw attention to the temple and himself by doing so.