A.D. 54 Nero becomes Emperor of Rome. Nero married two men in legal ceremonies, with at least one spouse accorded the same honours as an empress. Gay relationships are accepted and institutionalized in this time period. A.D. 60 Saint Paul writes certain biblical passages, particularly Romans 1:26-27 and I Corinthians: 6-9 which are often used to prohibit/protest homosexuality. As twentieth-century scholar John Boswell indicates, this interpretation does not necessarily reflect Saint Paul's original meaning, which has been changed through translations. A.D. 76 The Roman Emperor Hadrian was born. When his lover Antinous died at the age of twenty, a new cult sprang up worshipping the young man as a god and spreading infatuation with boy-love throughout the Empire. 288 Saint Sebastian, who some call the patron saint of gays was martyred. He was the son of a wealthy Roman family. Educated in Milan . Officer of the Imperial Roman army , and captain of the guard. Favorite of Diocletian . During Diocletian 's persecution of the Christians, Sebastian visited them in prison, bringing supplies and comfort. Reported to have healed the wife of a brother soldier by making the Sign of the Cross over her. Converted soldiers and a governor . Charged as a Christian , Sebastian was tied to a tree, shot with arrows , and left for dead. He survived, recovered, and returned to preach to Diocletian . The emperor then had him beaten to death. 342 The sons of Constantine, Constans and Constantius, pass a law read variously by historians as outlawing gay prostitution, outlawing gay marriage, and most severely, outlawing homosexuality altogether. 529 Justinian's Code outlaws homosexuality in Byzantium. However, the populations of Constantinople and other Byzantine cities are very much opposed to Justinian and Theodora on this issue, including the Christian laity. The public resists attempts by both Justinian and Theodora to prosecute their rivals with the law. 533 Homosexuality and blasphemy are proclaimed to be equally to blame for earthquakes, famines, and pestilences by Byzantine emperor Justinian I when he combines Roman law and Christian ethics. Castration is ordered for any lawbreaker." 650 Priests are issued The Cummean Penitential, a manual that spells out repentance for different levels of homosexual sin. The age of the offender and the nature of the offense are taken into consideration." 650 In early medieval Visigothic Spain, there is great persecution of scapegoats in an attempt to unite the Hispano-Roman majority with the Visigothic minority. These scapegoats include most notably gays and Jews. Homosexuality is criminalized. However, outside of Spain, homosexuality remains completely legal, and even relatively accepted, in almost all of Europe. 800 – 900 During the Carolingian Renaissance, there is a large amount of complex gay poetry. There is no Carolingian law prohibiting homosexuality.