In Greek mythology and history, Antinous refers primarily to the beautiful Greek youth who was the beloved companion and lover of the Roman Emperor Hadrian; after Antinous drowned in the Nile (c. 130 CE), Hadrian deified him, establishing a widespread cult, founding the city of Antinoopolis, and commissioning countless sculptures that defined classical beauty for centuries, though "Antinous" also names a suitor of Penelope in Homer's Odyssey.