Friday, January 11, 2008

AD117 Roman Emperor Hadrian Out and Proud, the first Gay Leader of Rome


A new major exhibition at the British Museum makes clear, Publius Aelius Traianus Hadrianus was not only a peacemaker of his time, but was also the first leader of Rome to make it clear that he was gay.

It was not uncommon for other Emperor’s to have taken gay lovers alongside a female spouse, but Hadrian make it official when his lover Antinous drowned, he commemorated him by naming an Egyptian city in his memory. Also when a city was founded close to the spot where Antinous drowned, he named it Antinopolis and later AD130 he made him a god. Now that is true love!

The show runs from July 24 until October 26th.

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