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Antinous (circa 112-130 AD) was a lover of the Emperor Hadrian (76-138 AD) and their story is probably the best known instance of a homosexual relationship in Roman history. Same-sex encounters between men were not unusual; Hadrian had several relationships with men alongside his marriage. It was quite common for Roman men to engage in relationships with younger men, as long as the older man maintained his status by being the dominant, active partner in the couple- sexuality was closely tied to power and social standing.

Hadrian appears to have formed an especially tender bond with this beautiful youth. When Antinous drowned mysteriously in the River Nile in AD 130, Hadrian opted against convention to mourn him publicly instead of in private. Antinous was deified, given his own cult, a city named after him (Antinopolis), and athletic games founded in his memory.