The Deification of Hadrian by Antoninus

There are two competing theories about where the name comes from. Both have to do with his actions immediately following the death of Hadrian. The most common version is that when his adoptive father died, Antoninus personally escorted the body back to Rome and then asked the Senate to deify the dead Emperor. He told them that to refuse to deify Hadrian would stand as a repudiation of his entire reign.