Hadrian and Antinous

A detailed Summary of Hadrian and Antinous


There were many relationships that changed the course of history forever. Most have one thing in common, one in a high position being influenced by their significant other. The effect of Cleopatra on Antony, Josephine on Napoleon, and Ann Boleyn on Henry the Eighth changed the world forever. Yet to Rome, the effect of Antinous on Hadrian was just as important. Hadrian loved Antinous and for this he ruined his legacy as a great emperor.

Little is known about how Hadrian came to know Antinous. It is rumored that Antinous was taken from Claudiopolis during one of Hadrian's tours in 123 AD. Antinous's age is also unknown, at the time of his introduction to Hadrian he was said to be around eleven or twelve. Unfortunately, little is also known about the way he was taken. No one is sure if it was by force or went willingly, but he soon became the Emperor's favorite and was never considered a slave. Yet again, little is known about when Antinous became the Emperor's favorite, but it is guessed to have been sometime between the Emperor's return to Italy in 125 and his next trip


The days after Antinous's death brought great emotional stress and grieve to the Emperor. Fighting through the guilt, Hadrian's first thought was to follow his love into the afterlife. Yet Hadrian kept his head about him and realized he was Emperor of Rome and it was not his life to give. Hadrian struggled forward living two lives, his empirical and his private, and the strain between the two greatly damaged his public affairs and his health.

With Antinous drowning in the Nile, his body would have been taken by the Egyptians for embalming. They believed this was necessary to proceed into the afterlife. That is why it is conceived that Hadrian would allow this to take place. Whether or not the body was entombed there, it was about two months before Hadrian himself left Egypt.

It is important to remember the time period this relationship took place and acknowledge the system of pederasty that existed. It was primarily a Hellenic system in which favored Hadrian because of his love for all things Greek. In old Greece, the love of a man for a boy was considered to be the purest from of

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Approximate Word count = 748
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History

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