site of Hadrianoi

The site of Hadrianoi, also recorded as Hadriani ad Olympum, was a town of ancient Bithynia founded in AD 123 by the Roman emperor Hadrian during one of his tours of Asia Minor. It stood on a spur of Mysian Mount Olympus, the mountain known today as Uludağ, in an area now within the Orhaneli district of Bursa province. Ancient sources say Hadrian passed through the region while inspecting earthquake damage and founding new settlements, and that he favored the spot partly for its hunting grounds. Little of the ancient city has been visible above ground for centuries, but renewed archaeological excavation led by the Bursa Museums Directorate, covering an area of roughly 5,000 square meters, has begun uncovering structures and artifacts that are helping researchers pin down the city's exact location and layout. The site is one of several ancient settlements named for Hadrian across Mysia and Bithynia, distinct from similarly named towns elsewhere in the region.