Historical story

Tomb of Antinous:where is Hadrian's Beautiful Lover Buried?

The Barberini al Pincio obelisk, closely linked to the tomb of Antinous

The place where the tomb of Antinous would be found, lover of the Emperor Hadrian tragically died in his twenties, is controversial.

According to some sources, the young man's inhumation occurred in Egypt, where he died, according to others in Rome.

Regardless of the truth of the matter, however, it is certain that Adriano, deeply saddened by his disappearance, had at least a cenotaph erected for the boy in the capital.

However, the location of the latter is not easy either.

It is linked to the obelisk that adorned it (or adorned its tomb, for those who believe in the Roman burial of the boy), which is now on the Pincio, whose final location dates back to 1822.

Previously it belonged to the noble Barberini, family hence the name of Barberini obelisk.

The funeral monument was found in the Renaissance, but it has never been possible to establish with certainty where it was previously.

On this point the hypotheses are numerous and it is difficult to understand.

It is a work of rather small proportions on which are written in hieroglyphic characters who assimilate Antinous to the Egyptian divinity Osiris.

This is a feature of fundamental importance for understanding the attitude held by Adriano after the death of his lover and the type of cult that he established was given to him (https://www.pilloledistoria.it/6145/storia-antica/ pain-adrian-for-death-antinous-his-young-lover).

In the text, obviously, references to the greatness of Hadrian's reign himself could not be missing.