Antinous, a young Greek from Bithynia, whose beautiful face captivated the heart at first sight and became the darling of Hadrian, the emperor. Roman (76-138 AD, reigned 117-138 AD)
Not much is known about Antinous’ childhood. Only know that he was born on November 27, 110 AD in the city of Claudiopolis. (Claudiopolis), Bithynia Northern Anatolia or present-day Asian Turkey Historically Bithynia was part of the ancient Greek world and was ruled by the Roman Empire. Antinous was therefore a native Greek.
There is no evidence of how Hadrian met the young man. They are known to have met when the emperor visited Nicomedia in Bithynia in 123 AD to rebuild the city after an earthquake.
Whether Antinous was part of the reception party or attended the celebrations of the emperor’s visit. A 13-year-old Greek boy had the opportunity to meet the great Roman emperor in this event. And Hadrian fell in love with Antinous at first sight.
Hadrian’s relationship with his wife, Queen Vibia Sabina, had been rough from the beginning. Because Hadrian’s sexual orientation was not feminine. Hadrian was in his 47th year when he met Antinous in Nachomedia. and immediately adopted this young Greek man The Roman society at that time did not consider the relationship between an elderly man and a young man to be wrong. As long as it is the consent of both parties. The Romans adopted a liberal view of sexual behavior from the Greeks. And Roman Latin doesn’t even have a term to distinguish between “homosexual” and “heterosexual”.
Hadrian brought Antinous to Rome. before sending him to study in an educational institution “Paedogogium”, a school for training children to serve the Senators and the future aristocracy. Including training young men to become the emperor’s personal servants
