• Kusimulkku@lemm.ee
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    23 days ago

    Were they accepting of the idea of someone having solely male attraction or having sex solely with men? I remember reading that having relations with men was more accepted but what we’d call homosexuality today was an aberration of sorts to them.

    • PugJesus@lemmy.worldOPM
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      22 days ago

      The Emperors Trajan and Hadrian were both probably exclusively homosexual, in lavender marriages. Trajan is remembered well universally, while Hadrian endures mild mockery/criticism for his boy obsession - and tbf, getting the Senate to deify your dead boytoy is a bit much.

    • CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org
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      22 days ago

      What we call homosexuality today didn’t exist as a concept. Most elite man swung both ways, at least as the relationship’s top, and the ones that exclusively liked women got made fun of. I’m not sure if there’s examples of men disinterested in marrying, but I’m guessing if it happened the reaction would be something like “hey, stop goofing around and make heirs!”.

      If you liked to bottom that was somewhat embarrassing, though. There were rumours about Julius Caesar.

      • PugJesus@lemmy.worldOPM
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        22 days ago

        and the ones that exclusively liked women got made fun of.

        CLAUDIUS only likes GIRLS, lmao, he probably has cooties