Hadrian’s Wall is linked to “queer history”, English Heritage has said in an email to its members.
The ancient structure is one of the most famous historical sites in the UK and was built some 1,900 years ago by the Roman emperor Hadrian.
And whilst it’s best known for its links to the Roman Empire, English Heritage has said it is also a symbol of LGBT history in England.
In an email to its members, English Heritage said, via The Telegraph: “To understand Hadrian’s Wall you have to understand the Roman emperor who built it – his career, his life and the times in which he lived.”
Emperor Hadrian is believed to have had many gay relationships while married to his wife Sabina.
One of the most notable include his relationship with Antinous, who joined him on tours of the whole Empire. National Museums Liverpool describe the pair as “the most famous homosexual couple in Roman history”
Antinous died in 130 AD after drowning in the River Nile. Reports claimed that Hadrian was devastated, and statues of his lover were built all over the Empire, and a new city, Antinopolis, was even named in his honour.
In Roman culture, men were free to have relationships with whomever they please, as long as one person was dominant within a duo. This meant it was not uncommon for Roman men to be in relationships with younger men.
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