Bust of Antinous as Dionysus at The Réunion des Musées Nationaux, Paris

myminifactory

Approximately a century after the tragic demise of Christ, another young man from humble Middle Eastern origins was revered as a god. Antinous, born in the Bithynia province on the Black Sea coast, was Hadrian's beloved companion and met his untimely death in October 130 AD while drowning in the Nile River. The circumstances surrounding this event remain unclear - it may have been an accident, a deliberate act of self-sacrifice, or even murder. Whatever the truth, Hadrian was overcome with grief and soon declared that Antinous had transcended mortality to become a god. He constructed the city of Antinopolis at the site of the tragedy and established a cult in his beloved's honor, which endured for centuries. This new deity was characterized by an instantly recognizable image - Antinous' youthful appearance and beauty made him one of the most well-known figures in the Roman world. His handsome features, with their round face, almond eyes, strong brows, full lips, and unruly hair, are found on numerous representations throughout Hadrian's Empire. Coins bearing his image have been discovered as far north as Godmanchester in Britain. Although Roman Emperors were typically deified after their deaths, it was unprecedented for a commoner to receive such honor, and Antinous was often assimilated with more traditional gods in art. He is sometimes depicted as Apollo, the eternal youth of Greek mythology; at other times, he embodies Mercury (Greek Hermes), the messenger god. Several statues show him dressed in Egyptian attire, allowing an association with the Egyptian god Osiris to be drawn. The city of Mantineia became a hub for the worship of Antinous, hosting a festival and games every four years in his honor. In the stadium, he was depicted as Dionysos (Roman Bacchus), his luxuriant hair adorned with ivy tendrils, as seen in the Fitzwilliam bust. The connection between Dionysos and Antinous extended beyond visual representation - like the Greek wine god, Antinous was believed to have died and been reborn. Members of his cult would reenact this cycle, offering hope for their own immortality. Antinous was also invoked for more general acts of kindness, with inscriptions referring to him as 'Antinous the Good.' As a new deity, he was approached to intervene on behalf of the established gods and even appeared in dreams to heal the sick. An unrequited lover in Egypt even petitioned Antinous to aid him in winning his beloved's heart. This bust was unearthed in the 18th century at Hadrian's villa in Tivoli, where a massive sanctuary, possibly dedicated to Antinous, is now being uncovered. The Scottish painter and archaeologist Gavin Hamilton acquired it for The Marquess of Shelburne, whose collection of antiquities in Lansdowne House, London, it adorned until 1930. Over twenty images of Antinous have been discovered at Hadrian's Villa, with a cast of one now displayed in the Capitoline Museum in Rome. As Christianity gained traction in Europe, the cult of Antinous eventually faded out, but his captivating story remained in people's hearts.