Statue of Osiris-Antinous

myminifactory

Antinous, a Bithynian Greek youth, was a favorite of Roman Emperor Hadrian. He was deified after his death and worshiped in both the Greek East and Latin West as a god or hero. Born in Claudiopolis (present day Bolu, Turkey), Antinous likely met Hadrian in 123 before being taken to Italy for education. By 128, he had become Hadrian's favorite, accompanying him on tours of the Empire as part of his personal retinue. Antinous attended the Eleusinian Mysteries with Hadrian in Athens and was present when he killed a Marousian lion in Libya. In October 130, Antinous died under mysterious circumstances while traveling along the Nile River. Various theories suggest accidental drowning or intentional human sacrifice. After his death, Hadrian deified Antinous and founded a cult that spread throughout the Empire, establishing a city called Antinopolis near his place of death. This became a center for worshiping Osiris-Antinous, with games held in commemoration of Antinous in both Antinopolis and Athens. Antinous symbolized Hadrian's dream of pan-Hellenism. His image appeared in the works of Oscar Wilde and Fernando Pessoa, linking him to Western culture and homosexuality.