A Tyrant Who Made a Gay Joke at the Wrong Guy’s Expense
In ancient Greece and Rome, some homosexual relationships between men were accepted, or at least tolerated. However, the ancients were not tolerant of these preferences in its entirety, as we understand that term today. Intimacy between men did not carry much of a stigma in of itself – at least not for the top, or the one who did the penetration. Exclusive bottoms – the ones penetrated – were often reviled, though. Effeminate behavior on the part of men jeopardized their social status. Tough and manly warriors who preferred men were respected. Those perceived as girlie, were not.
Many rulers engaged in relations with other men, with no loss of prestige. A prominent example was the Roman Emperor Hadrian. He was so passionate about a young lover, Antinous, that he had him made into a god after his unexpected accidental demise. However, such emperors were all tops, and refrained from effeminate behavior. Emperors who broke that taboo, such as the flamboyantly effeminate Elagabalus, came to a bad end. So huge was the taboo against effeminacy that to even joke about it could get one offed. One ruler who found that out the hard way was Periander, a seventh century BC Greek tyrant of Ambracia. As seen below, he paid dearly for a joke that he cracked at the expense of his lover.