ANTINOUS THE GAY GOD

HADRIAN ERA MARBLE STREET

UNEARTHED IN GREECE

ARCHAEOLOGISTS in Greece have discovered a street paved with marble probably dating to the reign of Emperor Hadrian 1,800 years ago.

It is possible that the marble-paved street was part of a works project for the visit of Hadrian and Antinous to Greece in the year 128 AD. A similar marble-paved roadway was constructed at Ephesus for the visit by Hadrian and Antinous there a year later.

The discovery was made in the northern port city of Thessaloniki by construction workers digging a new subway line.

Workers found a 70-meter-long (250-foot) stretch of roadway paved in marble, indicating it was a showcase thoroughfare during the reign of Hadrian.

Some of the paving stones were etched with children's board games, while most were rutted by the wheels of carts.

Also discovered at the site were remains of tools and lamps, as well as the bases of marble columns.

The ancient street, about seven meters (25 feet) below the modern street level, follows the route of the city's modern Egnatia Avenue, indicating it was a major thoroughfare even then.

The subway project has been plagued with delays since it began in 2006 as construction workers have repeatedly stumbled onto ancient artefacts which have required study by archaeologists.

In 2008, workers on the Thessaloniki metro discovered more than 1 000 tombs, some with jewelry, coins or other artefacts.