The Shrine of Antinous
Maintained by Dr Adam Carr
Statue of Antinous in the Delphi Museum, Greece
This page is dedicated to the memory of Antinous
(c111-130 AD), the lover of the Roman Emperor Hadrian (76-138 AD,
reigned from 117 AD).
Bust of Antinous in the National Archaeological Museum, Athens
Little is known of Antinous's background, but
he was a Greek from Bithynion-Claudiopolis, in the province of
Bithynia in what is now north-west Turkey. He seems to have entered
the service of the Emperor in about 123 AD, and soon became his lover.
Statue of Antinous in the Louvre, Paris
In 130 AD Antinous died by drowing in the Nile. It is not known if his
death was the result of accident, suicide, murder or religious
sacrifice. All are possibilities. Hadrian declared
Antinous to be a god, and statues to his memory were erected all over
the Empire.
Statue of Antinous in the Museum at Olympia, Greece
As a result, this 19-year-old boy is one of the best-preserved faces
from the ancient world. Many of his statues survive and may be seen in
museums across Europe. Although they are obviously idealised images,
they demonstrate what all contemporary writers described as Antinous's
extraordinary beauty.
Statue of Antinous in the Vatican Museum, Rome
The photographs on this page were taken by me between April and June 2002.
Statue of Antinous in the Delphi Museum, Greece
Other images of Antinous
Including the magnificent Farnese Antinous in Naples
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