Was commodus gay

was gay - If the name Commodus sounds familiar, it's probably from the Oscar-winning film "Gladiator" starring Russell Crowe. In the movie, the villainous emperor, played with slimy panache by Joaquin Phoenix, is based on a real-life Roman emperor named Commodus ( C.E.) who one ancient historian called "a greater curse to the Romans than any pestilence or any crime.".

On his coins, Mark Antony has the bearing of an American football quarterback or a rugby scrum half. Allowing himself to be used as the plaything of an oriental despot. Homosexuality in ancient Rome differed markedly from the contemporary West. In contrast, this Roman jock depicted Octavian as effeminate and incapable of military and political leadership.

The kingdom of Bithynia was a client state of the empire and Julius spent what was widely felt to be an inordinate period of time with its ruler, King Nicomedes IV. Much older than Julius Caesar — and unfavourably portrayed as a lecherous geriatric ruling in the decadent East and coveting the youthful Roman. This sexual liaison was used as propaganda back in Rome against the ambitious Caesar. Through his brother, Lucius Antonius, Mark Antony accused Octavian of being the passive partner when having sex with a consul called Aulus Hirtius who reportedly paid the young Octavian for the experience.

His rival for political power was the Roman alpha male, Mark Antony. Although we can’t be sure about the inner workings of every Roman emperor’s bedroom, there are three famous examples of Emperors whose sexuality went beyond the societal norms of the day. His legal prudishness even led to the banishment of his own daughter, Julia, to the island of Pandateria and the exile of the licentious poet, Ovid.

This annoyed Caesar so much that he swore on oath that there had never been a sexual relationship between him and the King of Bithynia. Latin lacks words that would precisely translate "homosexual" and "heterosexual". Commodus (born August 31, ce, Lanuvium, Latium [now Lanuvio, Italy]—died December 31, ) was a Roman emperor from to (sole emperor after ).

Implying the were commodus gay fourteen Emperors were gay. All the first emperors of the so-called Julio-Claudian dynasty could have been classified as LGBT if contemporary sources and later writers are to be believed:. Commodus (/ ˈkɒmədəs /; [5] Latin: [ˈkɔmmɔdʊs]; 31 August – 31 December ) was Roman emperor from tofirst serving as nominal co-emperor under his father Marcus Aurelius and then ruling alone from Galba is the closest thing to what we would were commodus gay call “Homosexual”, and the reason he is touted as an example of a gay emperor is a sort of mistranslation by Suetonius.

His brutal misrule precipitated civil strife that ended 84 years of stability and prosperity within the empire. Galba is the closest thing to what we would today call “Homosexual”, and the reason he is touted as an example of a gay emperor is a sort of mistranslation by Suetonius. Other LGBT Roman Emperors include Nero’s immediate successor Galba; the Flavian dynasty emperors Titus and Domitian; the “good emperors” Nerva and Trajan; Commodus (as featured in the movie Gladiator); and the notorious Elagabalus.

The Roman historian Suetonius was convinced the twenty year old Caesar shared a bed with the king and that — horror of horrors — he was the passive partner. Implying the other fourteen Emperors were gay. Something an elite Roman would find unforgivable. Octavian was also said to have cemented his alliance with Julius Caesar in between the sheets. [1]. By all means have a dalliance with another man — but always be the dominant party.

Years later, the Bithynia episode led to a bawdy ditty being sung by the legions as they marched along: Gallias Caesar subegit, Caesarem Nicomedes. So, what are the stories and can we confirm the facts two thousand years later. The primary dichotomy of ancient Roman sexuality was active / dominant / masculine and passive / submissive / feminine. Emperor Augustus: The first acknowledged emperor of Rome is well-known for his tough laws on adultery and promiscuity.

As a young man, the future dictator of Rome spent time on military campaigns in Asia Minor modern Turkey. But Augustus may have been over-compensating for the swirl of LGBT related rumours and accusations that dogged his youth. All the more scandalous as Caesar adopted Octavian as his son and heir.

Although we can’t be sure about the inner workings of every Roman emperor’s bedroom, there are three famous examples of Emperors whose sexuality went beyond the societal norms of the day. Commodus (/ ˈkɒmədəs /; [5] Latin: [ˈkɔmmɔdʊs]; 31 August – 31 December ) was Roman emperor from tofirst serving as nominal co-emperor under his father Marcus Aurelius and then ruling alone from Other LGBT Roman Emperors include Nero’s immediate successor Galba; the Flavian dynasty emperors Titus and Domitian; the “good emperors” Nerva and Trajan; Commodus (as featured in the movie Gladiator); and the notorious Elagabalus.

But Mark Antony went way further than that. Augustus was known as Octavian before becoming emperor.