Antinous, the bythinian Greek
youth adored by emperor
Hadrian, lost his life in the waters
of the Nile amid mysterious
circonstances. After his death,
the emperor had him deified
and his image was celebrated
with works that portrayed him
as a god. In te relief, Antinous
is represented as the god of the
woods Sivanus, crowned by a
pine branch, with a faix or sickle in
his right hand and accompanied
by a dog. In the relief’s rural
setting, the comanding figure
of Antinous stands beside an
altar, where an inscription in
Greek letters shows the signature
of the artist who created this
work : Antonianos of Aphrodisia.
The relief of great artistic value
originates from a residential area
and presumably decorated a
shrine dedicated to the deified
youth.
AD 130-138            Inv.374071