Hadrian’s Wall has been celebrated as part of the UK’s “queer history”, with English Heritage highlighting the 1,900-year-old landmark’s LGBTQ+ links. In 2024, an email marking the end of LGBTQ+ History Month in February, the English Heritage charity explained that the famous Roman structure is “linked to England’s queer history”. The email to members, seen by The Telegraph last year , the charity explained the history of Emperor Hadrian, who built the wall and was documented as having had several gay relationships while being married to his wife, Sabina Augusta. This included his relationship with a young Greek man named Antinous, who was said to have accompanied him on a long tour and visit to Egypt. When Antinous drowned in the River Nile in AD130, Hadrian was said to have grieved openly, and had him “worshipped as a god”. He also reportedly founded a new city named Antinoöpolis near the spot where he died, in his honour. “To understand Hadrian’s Wall you have to understand the...