Antinous half-sculptural relief 24.9 cm high, 14.9 cm wide, 5.5 cm deep, 1 kg, Villa Albani Rome
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Antinous, the favourite boy of the Roman Emperor Hadrian (76-138 AD), came from Bithynia in north-west Asia Minor.
He accompanied Hadrian on his extensive journeys through the empire. When he drowned in the Nile under unexplained circumstances at the age of 20 in 130 AD, the unfortunate ruler mourned for the rest of his life. He surrounded himself with statues and busts of his young friend.
Some cities that were indebted to Hadrian gave their city god the epithet of Antinous and erected statues of the idol. A cult of the god Antinous developed and temples were built in his honour.
As a result, images of the handsome man are among the most frequently found ancient artefacts in the Mediterranean. His cult became important primarily in the eastern part of the empire and can be traced back to the end of the 5th century AD.
Depository Villa Albani in Rome, inv. no. 994, dated to around 131 AD.
Semi-sculptural relief reproduced as a smaller replica.
This product was added to our catalog on Tuesday, May 13, 2025.