The Boston Festival of Indie Games

The Boston Festival of Indie Games Boston Festival of Indie Games! The 2nd annual convention hosted here in Boston to celebrate gaming, and it is completely free to the public. (But actually it was awesome, and much like a baby-PAX â€" a video game conference started in Seattle that now has a Boston branch. I went last year and plan on going this year. It’s freaking awesome.) I woke up at around 10am, got my pass and a guidebook around 10:45, and headed over to 10-250 for the keynote. The lanyard has The Behemoth logo on itâ€"the company that created one of my favorite arcade games, Castle Crashers. The Videri String Quartet, a local group, played music from the games Dear Esther and Journey. Live video game music is one of my favorite things. (Also kind of humorous how the remnants of an 18.02 lecture are on the chalkboard.) The keynote speaker was Robin Hunike, the designer and executive producer of the game Journey. Her talk reminded me how much meaning I derive from video games, and made me question whether I should abandon the biological sciences and devote my time to animation or drawing concept art. Yeah… I guess I get inspired pretty intensely by media. But how can you not with promos like this? She discussed the rise of independent games as a product of wanting to make something you’re proud of and being totally in control of that process. All great games come from a feeling inside a person, something beyond just finding a niche market or putting previously successful ideas together. And she went on to advise how every developer ought to: Concept their idea like crazyâ€"in notebooks, artwork, etc. Test on family and friends and real gamers and accept honest feedback, rather than being insanely protective of the project Throw some stuff away, even though we live in a culture that emphasizes saving things beyond Prototype and repeat the testing/tossing process, all whilst staying true to the original feeling that inspired you After being filled with warm fuzzy creative feels, I met up with my friends Jamal E. ’13 and Dalton H. ’13 and wandered both the digital and tabletop expo floors. Both rooms were a montage of indie gaming goodness, with a mixture of students, independent designers, and small companies exhibiting. The digital expo floor included all console, PC, and android/iPhone games, as well as other independent gaming platforms. I think this may be my favorite transformation of the Johnson ice rink so far.     And now, for a montage of games: Tiny Brains, a co-op puzzle game being released for PS4 and Steam. You play as small mice trying to escape a lab and defeat little mutant chicken enemiesâ€"super fun. Dalton playing with Sifteo Cubes, a new type of touch-screen gaming that allows you to play pattern/memory-based competition games with other people. Dalton and Jamal puzzling through Color Zen, an android/iPhone game where you match colors in a specific order to clear levels. It’s really easy to play one level or twenty, and very low pressure. And then, heres the tabletop expo floor, on the 2nd floor of the student center. This includes board games, card games, and possibly some RPGsâ€"basically anything that doesn’t involve a screen. Ice cubris! It’s like Tetris/reverse-jenga but with ice cubes. Kinda messy, but it looks easy to set up anywhere. Time Keepers, a board game in which you’re trying to restore major events to their proper locations in the timestream. (Side note: I really enjoy the happy expressions of all these people; where learning to play a new game is an incredibly positive experience no matter what your background is. I’m a true proponent of the idea that gaming brings people together. Cheesiness over.) And to finish off my day, I headed back to 10-250 to listen to Ethan Gilsdorf, the author of Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks, and Brian O’Halloran, an actor most prominently known as Dante in the Clerks movies who is also a gamer, talk about how Dungeons and Dragons changed their lives. It was a pretty lighthearted talk, both of them emphasizing the fact that DD helped them find nerdy friends instead of being outcasts in middle/high school, fostered creativity through character development, world building, and story creation, and held such gravitas during their young-adulthood but now has an uncertain future due to the advances in technology. Ethan Gilsdorf showed a Super 8 film that he shot of him and his friends playing DD in 1981. Very cool and kinda surreal for me, because it was actual footage of a scene that my dad had described to me so many timesâ€"of him and his friends just goofing off in a basement and gaming. And one of the most random coincidences was that Brian O’Halloran actually gamed with the current MIT professor Junot Diaz back in high school, and, in fact, played story modules that he wrote. If you even have a mild interest in video games, tabletop, or gaming culture, and are in the Boston area, definitely check this convention out. At the very least to experience an environment where so many people who are passionate about something dorky gather together to just celebrate it and collaborate. And, if you want more information about people playing video games or tabletop, try checking out some of these YouTube channels: HankGames, Tabletop (by Geek and Sundry), Team Hypercube, or TheRunawayGuys.

Civil War Union Pension Records Family History Research

Civil War pension applications and pension files at the National Archives are available for Union soldiers, widows and children who applied for a federal pension based on their Civil War service. The resulting Civil War pension records often contain family information useful for genealogy research. Record Type: Civil War Union pension files Location: United States Time Period: 1861–1934 Best For: Identifying battles in which the soldier served and individuals he served with. Obtaining proof of marriage in a Widows Pension file. Obtaining proof of birth in the case of minor children. Possible identification of the slave owner in the pension file of a former slave. Sometimes tracing a veteran back to prior residences.   What are Civil War Union Pension Files? Most (but not all) Union army soldiers or their widows or minor children later applied for a pension from the U.S. government. In some cases, a dependent father or mother applied for a pension based on the service of a deceased son. Following the Civil War, pensions were initially granted under the General Law enacted on 22 July 1861 in an effort to recruit volunteers, and later expanded on 14 July 1862 as An Act to Grant Pensions, which provided pensions for soldiers with war-related disabilities, and for widows, children under sixteen years of age, and dependent relatives of soldiers who died in military service. On 27 June 1890, Congress passed the Disability Act of 1890 which extended pension benefits to veterans who could prove at least 90 days of service in the Civil War (with honorable discharge) and a disability not caused by vicious habits, even if unrelated to the war. This 1890 Act also provided pensions to widows and dependents of deceased veterans, even if the cause of death was unrelated to the war. In 1904 President Theodore Roosevelt issued an executive order granting pensions to any veteran over the age of sixty-two years. In 1907 and 1912 Congress passed Acts granting pensions to veterans over the age of sixty-two years, based on the time of service.br/>   What Can You Learn From a Civil War Pension Record? A pension file will typically contain more information about what the soldier did during the war than the Compiled Military Service Record, and may contain medical information if he lived for a number of years following the war. The pension files of widows and children can be especially rich in genealogical content because the widow had to provide proof of marriage in order to receive a pension on behalf of her deceased husbands service. Applications on behalf of the soldiers minor children had to supply both proof of the soldiers marriage and proof of the childrens birth. Thus, these files often include supporting documents such as marriage records, birth records, death records, affidavits, depositions of witnesses, and pages from family bibles.   How Do I Know if My Ancestor Applied for a Pension? Civil War federal (Union) pension files are indexed by NARA microfilm publication T288, General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 which can also be searched online for free at FamilySearch (United States, General Index to Pension Files, 1861–1934). A second index created from NARA microfilm publication T289, Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861–1917, is available online as the Civil War and Later Veterans Pension Index, 1861-1917 on Fold3.com (subscription). If Fold3 is not available to you, then the index is also available on FamilySearch for free, but only as an index—you will not be able to view the digitized copies of the original index cards. The two indexes sometimes contain slightly different information, so it is good practice to check both.   Where Can I Access Civil War (Union) Pension Files? Military pension application files based on Federal (not State or Confederate) service between 1775 and 1903 (before World War I) are held by the National Archives. A complete copy (up to 100 pages) of a Union pension file can be ordered from the National Archives using NATF Form 85 or online (select NATF 85D). The fee, including shipping and handling, is $80.00, and you can expect to wait anywhere from 6 weeks to four months to receive the file. If you want a copy more quickly and cant visit the Archives yourself, the the National Capital Area Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists can help you locate someone you can hire to retrieve the record for you. Depending on the size of the file and the genealogist this may be not only faster, but also no more expensive than ordering from NARA. Fold3.com, in conjunction with FamilySearch, is in the process of digitizing and indexing all 1,280,000 Civil War and Later Widows Pension Files in the series. This collection as of June 2016 is only about 11% complete, but will eventually encompass approved pension case files of widows and other dependents of soldiers submitted between 1861 and 1934 and sailors between 1910 and 1934. The files are arranged numerically by certificate number and are being digitized in order from lowest to highest. A subscription is required to view the digitized Widows Pensions on Fold3.com. A free index to the collection can also be searched on FamilySearch, but the digitized copies are only available on Fold3.com. Original files are located at the National Archives in Record Group 15, Records of the Veterans Administration.   Arrangement of Civil War (Union) Pension Files A soldier’s complete pension file may consist of one or more of these separate pension types. Each type will have its own number and prefix identifying the type. The complete file is arranged under the last number assigned by the pension office. SO (Soldiers Original) - When a solider applied for a pension, his application was assigned a number and designated as SO, for Soldiers Original or Survivors Original. If a soldiers pension application was rejected, the file will still appear under the SO number. SC (Soldiers Certificate) - Once a pension was granted, the application was moved into a new file and was assigned a certificate number identified with the prefix SC, for Soldier’s Certificate. The original application number became void. WO (Widows Original) - Similar to a soldiers pension application, but designated WO, for Widows Original. If the widow was applying to continue her deceased husbands previously approved pension benefits, her application then became a part of the soldiers file. If a widows pension application was rejected, the file will still appear under the WO number. WC (Widows Certificate) - Once a widows pension was granted, a certificate number was issued and designated as WC, for Widow’ s Certificate. The entire file, including the original soldiers application and certificate (if applicable) was then moved into the Widows file under the new certificate number. Widows files also include the applications of minor child and dependent parents. C XC (Certificate Files) - Beginning in the 20th century the system was consolidated. New pension applications were given a permanent certificate C number. Old files created prior to the change were transferred (X) to the C pension series and were designated with an XC number to denote the transfer to the new system. The last number used by the pension office is generally the number under which the entire pension file is located today. If you cant locate a file under the expected number, there are a few cases where it may be found under a previous number. Be sure to record all numbers found on the index card!   Anatomy of a Civil War (Union) Pension File A handy booklet titled Orders, Instructions, and Regulations Governing the Pension Bureau (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1915), available in digitized format for free at Internet Archive, provides an overview of the Pension Bureaus operations as well as an explanation of the the pension application process, describing what types of evidence were required and why for each application. The booklet also explains what documents were to be included in each application and how they should be arranged, based on the different classes of claims and the acts under which they were filed. Additional instructional resources can also be found on Internet Archive, such as Instructions and Forms to be Observed in Applying for Navy Pensions under the Act of July 14, 1862 (Washington: Government Printing Office, 1862). Further details on the various pension acts can be found in an report by Claudia Linares titled The Civil War Pension Law, published by the Center for Population Economics at the University of Chicago. The website Understanding Civil War Pensions also provides an excellent background on the various pension laws affecting Civil War veterans and their widows and dependents.

Modern Fairy Tales for Teen Girls

Creepy Craig Free Essays

Creepy Craig It was almost like lying in a boiling rubber blowup pool. The air was thick and Zara couldn’t manage to fall asleep. The strange noises from across the hall filled the silence of her apartment again. We will write a custom essay sample on Creepy Craig or any similar topic only for you Order Now Zara always felt suspicious of the man who lived there, because when she waited for the lift to go to the floor of her unit, he would stand there at least four times a week and watch her as the doors closed. The creepy thing about that was, when the lift reached the sixth floor, he would be there as she stepped out. She always thought of him as her own personal stalker. Creepy Craig. Maybe he was harmless? Who cares! Zara wanted out. The last time she got out of the lift at her own floor, Creepy Craig was standing there leering at her offering ANZAC cookies. Enough was enough. She needed to get out of his apartment now. Even Ben, her boyfriend thought the guy was a creep. He wanted to sort him out but Zara didn’t want him to do that. Right now, she wished Ben was at home instead of playing Rugby with the local club in Southport. She reached for her mobile phone and called him. Zara was pleased to hear that Ben was on his way home. Even better, he had already been searching and had found a nice new apartment. He wanted her to see the next day. Their new place was amazing, right on the Broadwater overlooking water which glistened like diamonds in the sunlight as the squeals of the kids with their families echoed into the distance. Having a new unit was great. Just what Zara and Ben wanted. The relief of not worrying about Creepy Craig any more made her feel relaxed for the first time in months. Sitting on the balcony with the blistering Australian twelve o’clock sun hovering above, Zara and Ben relaxed with a refreshing icy cold glass of beer. They talked about their plans for tomorrow afternoon’s family picnic at the Broadwater and how Australia Day this year was going to be amazing. Ben would make the waterslide for the kids; aunty Sue would take the name out of the hat to see who was going to cook the barbeque this year. Zara and Ben both hoped it wasn’t going to be Gazza again. Last time he cooked he burnt all the sausages and set fire to his own shirt. Zara thought he had one too many beers that day. Aside from the disaster last year, they were both getting excited. As the afternoon wore on and the heat of the sun dissipated, Zara and Ben were feeling very relaxed. Out of nowhere, loud crashes resonated as if pots and pans were being hurtled across a room. From the unit above, the crash was accompanied by a girl yelling and a man swearing. Unsettled by the noise and wondering if the girl was okay, Ben left their unit and got the elevator to the eleventh floor. He followed the sound like a detective finding clues to a murder scene. Zara waited anxiously on the balcony on the floor below, worrying about what was actually happening up there and if Ben really should have gone to investigate. Everything went strangely silent. An ear-piercing scream split through the air. There, in a single second, but seeming like slow motion, a beautiful young girl glided past her balcony like a feather. Zara met her eyes and in a heartbeat she felt like she saw the girl’s whole life in a flash. She was gone. Zara froze like a statue. Ben burst through the door, demanding to know what had happened as he couldn’t get anyone to open to his knocking at the unit above. Zara couldn’t get any words out. All she could manage to do was point to the balcony repeatedly. When Ben returned, he looked pale and sick. They stood looking at each other for a few seconds; they both seemed to come out of their stupor after Ben called the police. People were out on their balconies all over the building, gazing in shock at the terrible sight below. Police and ambulance sirens blared towards their building. The afternoon ended in a haze of uniforms all over the place. Because Zara and Ben’s unit was directly below where the girl fell, they had to be questioned by the police. They told their stories and signed statements. Their fantastic day had ended in tragedy. They felt quite sick as they went to bed that night. When the brightness of the morning woke Zara and Ben, they discussed whether they should cancel their plans but both really wanted to get out of the unit and be with their family and friends. So it was decided that Ben would take the esky down to the basement, pack the car, drive up to reception and pick Zara up from there. After bed Ben phoned to say he was on the way, Zara waited at the reception. She felt uneasy about being on her own but it was only a few minutes until she would be out of the building and with Ben. She shared the lift with the manager of the building, Steve. They briefly discussed the sad and frightening event of yesterday. Steve couldn’t say very much because it was still a police matter. When the lift doors opened a t the ground floor, Zara looked up and standing in the foyer was Creepy Craig. â€Å"That’s the poor man who lost his girlfriend over the balcony yesterday. † Steve said to Zara whispering the news. How to cite Creepy Craig, Papers

Themes in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time Essay Example

Themes in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time Essay Autism, Language, and Communication Although the word ‘Asperger’s’ isn’t mentioned in the novel there is clear evidence that the young 15yr old character Christopher suffers from this syndrome. This condition causes Christopher to lack the ability of understanding others emotions and key facial expressions. He expresses himself in a simple and straightforward way always speaking what he thinks and feels. In the novel Christopher mentions he ‘finds people confusing’. Chris can understand the verbal side of things but cannot interpret the things he cannot hear like facial expressions, gestures and emotions. He explains that ‘people do too much talking without using words and often talk using metaphors.’ Siobhan draws facial expressions like sad and happy to help Christopher understand others emotions. In the novel Ed is recalled using the metaphor ‘I laughed my socks off’ but Christopher was unable to comprehend what this meant as he takes things very lite rally and lacks the ability to interpret what is meant. When he expresses himself he does it in a very obvious way by speaking his mind. We will write a custom essay sample on Themes in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Themes in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Themes in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Detective CIDNT is set up through Christopher writing a detective novel and is based around finding who killed Mrs Shears dog, Wellington. As the book goes on much more than expected is revealed about Christopher’s world around him. His imagination takes over and takes Christopher on a journey never imagined. Chris refers the book he is writing as ‘a murder mystery’ novel but it turns out this may not be just a case of murder. Ed is revealed to be Wellington’s killer and Chris is led to the belief that he can no longer trust his father. Christopher is uncovered as more than just a boy with Asperger’s and is known to be a very gifted boy. His curiosity and useful traits allow him to work out several mysteries. Christopher’s brain ‘is like a film’ and this allows him to remember many things about incidents that hav

King Edward II of England

King Edward II of England This profile of King Edward II of England is part ofWhos Who in Medieval History Edward II was also known as: Edward of Caernarvon Edward II was known for: His extreme unpopularity and his general ineffectiveness as king. Edward lavished gifts and privileges on his favorites, fought against his barons, and was ultimately overthrown by his wife and her lover. Edward of Caernarvon was also  the first Crown Prince of England to be given the title Prince of Wales. Occupations: King Places of Residence and Influence: Great Britain Important Dates: Born:  April 25, 1284Crowned:  July 7, 1307Died:  September, 1327 About Edward II: Edward appears to have had a rocky relationship with his father, Edward I; upon the older mans death, the first thing the younger Edward did as king was give the most prestigious offices to Edward Is most notable opponents. This did not sit well with the late kings loyal retainers. The young king angered the barons still further by giving the earldom of Cornwall to his favorite, Piers Gaveston. The title Earl of Cornwall was one that had hitherto only been used by royalty, and Gaveston (who may have been Edwards lover), was considered foolish and irresponsible. So incensed were the barons over Gavestons status that they drew up a document known as the Ordinances, which not only demanded the favorites banishment but restricted the kings authority in finances and appointments. Edward seemed to go along with the Ordinances, sending Gaveston away; but it wasnt long before he allowed him to return. Edward didnt know who he was dealing with. The barons captured Gaveston and executed him in June of 1312.   Now Edward faced a threat from Robert the Bruce, the king of Scotland, who, in an attempt to throw off the control England had gained over his country under Edward I, had been retaking Scottish territory since before the old kings death. In 1314, Edward led an army into Scotland, but at the Battle of Bannockburn in June he was roundly defeated by Robert, and Scotlands independence was secured. This failure on Edwards part left him vulnerable to the barons, and his cousin, Thomas of Lancaster, led a group of them against the king. Beginning in 1315, Lancaster held real control over the kingdom. Edward was too weak (or, some said, too indolent) to dislodge Lancaster who was, unfortunately, an incompetent leader himself, and this sad state of affairs persisted until the 1320s. At that time the king became close friends with Hugh le Despenser and his son (also named Hugh). When the younger Hugh attempted to acquire territory in Wales, Lancaster banished him; and so Edward gathered some military might on behalf of the Despensers. At Boroughbridge, Yorkshire, in March of 1322, Edward succeeded in defeating Lancaster, a feat that may have been made possible by a falling-out among the latters supporters. After executing Lancaster, Edward annulled the Ordinances and exiled some of the barons, freeing himself from baronial control. But his tendency to favor certain of his subjects worked against him once more. Edwards partiality toward the Despensers alienated his wife, Isabella. When Edward sent her on a diplomatic mission to Paris, she began an open relationship with Roger Mortimer, one of the barons Edward had exiled. Together, Isabella and Mortimer invaded England in September of 1326, executed the Despensers, and deposed Edward. His son succeeded him as Edward III. Tradition has it that Edward died in September, 1327, and that he was probably murdered. For some time a story circulated that the method of his execution involved a hot poker and his nether regions. However, this gruesome detail has no contemporary source and appears to be a later fabrication. In fact, there is even a recent theory that Edward escaped his imprisonment in England and survived until 1330. No consensus has yet been reached on the actual date or manner of Edwards demise. More Edward II Resources: Edward II in Print The links below will take you to an online bookstore, where you can find more information about the book to help  you get it from your local library. This is provided as a convenience to you; neither Melissa Snell nor About is responsible for any purchases you make through these links.   Edward II: The Unconventional Kingby Kathryn Warner; with a foreword by Ian MortimerKing Edward II: His Life, His Reign, and Its Aftermath 1284-1330by Roy Martin Haines Edward II on the Web Edward II (1307-27 AD)Concise, informative bio at Britannia Internet Magazine.Edward II (1284 - 1327)Brief overview from BBC History. Medieval Renaissance Monarchs of EnglandMedieval Britain   The text of this document is copyright  ©2015-2016 Melissa Snell. You may download or print this document for personal or school use, as long as the URL below is included.  Permission is   not  granted to reproduce this document on another website. For publication permission,  please   contact  Melissa Snell. The URL for this document is:http://historymedren.about.com/od/ewho/fl/Edward-II.htm

Biography of Hadrian, Roman Emperor

Biography of Hadrian, Roman Emperor Hadrian (January 24, 76–July 10, 138) was a Roman emperor for 21 years who unified and consolidated  Rome’s  vast empire, unlike his predecessor, who focused on expansion. He was the third of the so-called  Five Good Emperors; he presided over the glory days of the  Roman Empire and is known for many building projects, including a famous wall across Britain to keep out the barbarians. Known For: Roman Emperor, one of the five good emperorsAlso Known As: Imperator Caesar Traianus Hadrianus Augustus, Publius Aelius HadrianuBorn: January 24, 76, possibly in Rome or in Italica, in what is now SpainParents: Aelius Hadrianus Afer, Domitia PaulinaDied: July 10, 138  in Baiae, near Naples, ItalySpouse: Vibia Sabina Early Life Hadrian was born on Jan. 24, 76. He probably was not originally from Rome. The Augustan History,  a collection of biographies of the Roman emperors,  says his family was from Picenum, but more recently of Spain, and moved to Rome. His mother Domitia Paulina came from a distinguished family from Gades, which today is Cadiz, Spain. His father was Aelius Hadrianus Afer, a magistrate and cousin of future Roman Emperor Trajan. He died when Hadrian was 10, and Trajan and Acilius Attianus (Caelium Tatianum) became his guardians. In 90 Hadrian visited  Italica, a Roman city in present-day Spain, where he received military training and developed a fondness for hunting that he kept for the rest of his life. Hadrian married Vibia Sabina, grand-niece of Emperor Trajan, in 100. Rise to Power Toward the end of Emperor Domitians reign, Hadrian started out on the traditional career path of a  Roman senator. He was made a military tribune, or officer, and then became a quaestor, a low-ranking magistrate, in 101. He was later curator of the Acts of the Senate. When Trajan was consul, a higher magistrates position, Hadrian went with him to the Dacian Wars and became tribune of the plebeians, a powerful political office, in 105. Two years later he became praetor, a magistrate just below consul. He then went to Lower Pannonia as governor and  became consul, the  pinnacle  of a senator’s career, in 108. His rise from there to emperor in 117 involved some palace intrigue. After he became consul his career rise stopped, possibly triggered by the death of a previous consul, Licinius  Sura, when a faction opposed to Sura, Trajans wife Plotina and Hadrian came to dominate Trajans court. There is some evidence that during this period, Hadrian devoted himself to studying the nation and  culture  of Greece, a long-held interest of his. Somehow, Hadrian’s star rose again shortly before Trajan died, probably because Plotina and her associates had regained Trajan’s confidence. Third-century Greek historian Cassius Dio says that Hadrians former guardian, Attianus, then a powerful Roman, also was involved. Hadrian was holding a major military command under Trajan when, on  Aug. 9, 117, he learned that Trajan had adopted him, a sign of succession. Two days later, it was reported that Trajan had died, and the army proclaimed Hadrian emperor. Hadrians Rule Hadrian ruled the Roman Empire until 138. He is known for spending more time traveling throughout the empire than any other emperor. Unlike his predecessors, who had relied on reports from the provinces, Hadrian wanted to see things for himself. He was generous with the military and helped to reform it, including ordering the construction of garrisons and forts. He spent time in Britain, where in 122 he initiated the building of a protective stone wall, known as Hadrians Wall, across the country in to keep the northern barbarians out. It marked the northernmost boundary  of the Roman Empire until early in the fifth century. The wall stretches from the North Sea to the Irish Sea and is 73 miles long, eight to 10 feet wide, and 15 feet high. Along the way, the Romans built towers and small forts called milecastles, which housed up to 60 men. Sixteen larger forts were built, and south of the wall the Romans dug a wide ditch with six-foot-high earthen banks. Though many of the stones were carried away and recycled into other buildings, the wall still stands. Reforms During his reign, Hadrian was generous to citizens of the Roman empire. He awarded large sums of money to communities and individuals and allowed the children of individuals charged with major crimes to inherit part of the family estate. According to the Augustan History, he wouldnt take the bequests of people he didnt know or of people whose sons could inherit the bequests, contrary to earlier practice. Some of Hadrians reforms indicate how barbaric the times were. He outlawed the practice of masters killing their slaves and changed the law so that if a master was murdered at home, only slaves who were nearby could be tortured for evidence. He also changed laws so that bankrupt people would be flogged in the amphitheater and then released, and he made the baths separate for men and women. He restored many buildings, including the Pantheon in Rome, and moved the Colossus, the 100-foot bronze statue installed by Nero. When Hadrian traveled to other cities in the empire, he implemented public works projects. Personally, he tried in many ways to live unassumingly, like a private citizen. Friend or Lover? On a trip through Asia Minor, Hadrian met Antinoà ¼s, a young man born about 110. Hadrian made Antinoà ¼s his companion, though by some accounts he was regarded as Hadrians lover. Traveling together along the Nile in 130, the young man fell into the river and drowned, Hadrian was desolate. One report said Antinoà ¼s had jumped into the river as a sacred sacrifice, though Hadrian denied  that explanation. Whatever the reason for his death, Hadrian mourned deeply. The Greek world honored Antinoà ¼s, and cults inspired by him appeared across the empire. Hadrian named Antinopolis, a city near Hermopolis in Egypt, after him. Death Hadrian became ill, associated in the Augustan History with his refusal to cover his head in heat or cold. His illness lingered, making him long for death. When he couldnt persuade anyone to help him ​commit suicide, he took up indulgent eating and drinking, according to Dio Cassius. He died on July 10, 138.   Legacy Hadrian is remembered for his travels, his building projects, and his efforts to tie together the far-flung outposts of the Roman empire. He was aesthetic and educated and left behind several poems. Signs of his reign remain in a number of buildings, including the Temple of Rome and  Venus, and he rebuilt the  Pantheon, which had been destroyed by fire during the reign of his predecessor. His own country residence, Villa Adriana, outside Rome is considered the architectural epitome of the opulence and elegance of the Roman world. Covering seven square miles, it was more a garden city than a villa, including baths, libraries, sculpture gardens, theaters, alfresco dining halls, pavilions, and private suites, portions of which survived to modern times. It was designated a  UNESCO  World Heritage site  in 1999. Hadrians tomb, now called the Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome, became a burial place for succeeding emperors and was converted into a fortress  in the 5th century. Sources Birley, Anthony. Lives of the Later Caesars: The First Part of the Augustan History, with Lives of Nerva and Trajan. Classics, Reprint Edition, Kindle Edition, Penguin, February 24, 2005.Roman History by Cassius Dio. University of Chicago.Pringsheim, Fritz. The Legal Policy and Reforms of Hadrian. The Journal of Roman Studies, Vol. 24.Hadrian. An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Emperors.Hadrian: Roman Emperor. Encyclopaedia Britannica.