Antinoöpolis, Roman city and archaeological site in Minya Governorate, Egypt

Antinoöpolis is a Roman city and archaeological site on the east bank of the Nile in Minya Governorate, Egypt. Its streets were laid out on a grid plan with roads intersecting at right angles, and one north–south street had column-supported corridors on either side for foot-passengers. The ruins, partly covered by later settlement, still show the direction of the principal streets.

Hadrian founded the city in AD 130 on the site of the village Hir-we, after Antinoüs drowned in the Nile in 130. He razed earlier buildings except the temple of Ramesses II and made it the first Hellenic city of the Middle Nile. It was abandoned around the 10th century.

The city's name honours Antinous, Hadrian's beloved, who drowned in the Nile in 130 AD and was deified as Osiris-Antinous. His cult was centred here, and the Antinoeia games were held each spring from 131 AD with athletic, chariot and musical contests. The Egyptian god Bes, worshipped at the earlier village of Hir-we, continued to be venerated alongside him.

The remains are scattered over a wide area, so it helps to research the key points before arriving. A local guide can help find the most interesting sections and move safely across the terrain.

Much of the city's stone was quarried in the 19th century to supply building material for other constructions in the region, which explains why so little stands today. Despite this, excavations at the site have produced papyri written in Greek and Coptic, offering a direct look at everyday life in the Roman period.