When ancient Rome wasn't busy with everyday inventions like aqueducts, they found new and exciting ways to enjoy quality time with each other. But when the sun goes down, the behavior of the ancient Romans will make "Game of Thrones" writers blush.
While the Romans may not have been the first in history to push boundaries, they were the first to keep detailed records. Regular conversations about affairs, orgies, and competitions have been circulating for centuries. Of course, the Romans did not reject tabloid journalism. The most extreme rumors are about their most hated emperor, and that's no coincidence.
That's not all the fun and games of their lives though. Since most of these Roman rumors involved the emperor, it meant that most of these rumors ended in bloody coups or executions. It's really good to be king, but only if people are willing to let you stay in power.
Nero castrated a man and then married him
For a man with a reputation for power and fanaticism like Emperor Nero, it might be easy to get bored with his every whim satisfied. Maybe that's why Nero turned an innocent boy into a eunuch and then married him. The boy, named Sporus, was dressed as a woman wearing a veil during the official wedding ceremony, and they even went to Greece for a romantic honeymoon.
Caligula goes to the wedding and leaves with the bride
Gaius Piso makes a decision he will regret by inviting Emperor Caligula to his wedding. When Caligula appeared at the banquet, Gaius Piso told the emperor not to touch his soon-to-be wife, Livia Orestila.So Caligula stole and married her, then banished her to an island where she was forbidden to marry anyone else. What is the moral of this story? That is don't tell Caligula what he can't do.
Tiberius swims naked with young boys
There are stories that the emperor Tiberius trained young boys to meet his physical needs, which brought him to the extreme. He likes to swim with them and then have them lick and bite "between his thighs", which he calls "trap".
Nero quarrels with his mother
Being Emperor Nero's mother was not enough for Agrippina, the mother of Emperor Nero. During the early days of his reign as a teenager, Agrippina played a major role in his decision-making. Rumor has it that she used her body to strengthen her influence. And stories about Nero's relationship with a concubine who is suspected of being his mother have spread among the people.
Caligula has a favorite sister
Although some say he brought all his sisters to bed, Caligula's favorite is said to be Drusilla. There are stories that their grandmother let them sleep together when they were young. Later, he took Drusilla away from her husband. When she died, Caligula declared an entire season of public mourning.
Caligula slept with guests' wives and then bragged about how depraved they were
Dinner party with Caligula was a nightmare for married couples. Caligula often invited married couples to dinner, and if a wife caught his heart, he would take her back to his dorm room and come back to tell their husbands what had happened. If that's not enough, he sometimes files for divorce for the couple just because he can.
Nero would dress up as an animal during sex
Nero may have had a strange childhood, but even the most unusual upbringing could not explain his most unusual impulses. He is said to like to play a game of donning hides and getting out of his cage to attack unsuspecting men and women who are tied to stakes.
A queen won a forbidden duel with a famous prostitute
According to Pliny the Elder, Valeria Messalina, the third wife of Emperor Claudius and mother of his son , known for his greed for pleasure. For fun, the queen made a bet with the best Roman prostitute of her time that she could sleep more men than brothel women in a single day. In the end, Mesalina came out on top with 25 men.
Caligula used his sisters to discredit political opponents
When Caligula didn't actually bring his siblings to bed, he often sold them to his friends. It's also handy if he wants to put these friends on trial. He kept all the adultery records and made them public for immediate repercussions when he needed to ruin an opponent's reputation.
Cleopatra and Caesar gave birth to a son and traveled around Rome
Julius Caesar not only initiated the reign of the Roman emperor, he was also one of the most famous playboys of his time. Although he was married to Calpurnia, he had many mistresses, including the famous Cleopatra. When Caesar invited her to Rome, Cleopatra took their children and showed them off to everyone...including Calpurnia.
So what did the epic playboy do after that? He named the child and drafted a law that he could marry any woman he wanted.
Augustus banishes daughter for destroying family values
Emperor Augustus finds himself in trouble with his daughter Julia. Augustus was a supporter of family values and set out to define adultery as illegal. Julia, however, often indulges in various vices, including public adultery, complicating his political stance. Augustus was so angry that he exiled her to an island without men and wine. As for the men who slept with her, they were either exiled or forced to commit suicide.
Caligula turned his palace into a brothel
When the Roman treasury was running out of money and taxes couldn't solve the problem, Caligula turned his palace into a brothel. He gave everyone a line of credit with sky-high interest rates. On one occasion, he is said to have seen two people who owed him money passing by, so he arrested them both and confiscated all their property.
Emperor Elagabalus likes to roleplay
Elagabalus would search all Rome for the plumpest men and bring them back to his palace. There, he would pose for them as Venus, the goddess of love. He pretends his partner is Paris from the Iliad and lets the fantasy end there.
Elagabalus was a part-time emperor and also a seducer
When Caligula turned his palace into a brothel, Elagabalus himself joined the operation. He had a room in his own court brothel, and he stood at the door trying to lure guests into it.
Mark Antony pursued his mistress after being killed by Caesar
Not long after Caesar's death, Mark Antony, his closest friend and ally, hooked up with his mistress Cleopatra.Antony was listed as an enemy of Rome, but he was too busy with the Egyptian queen to take care of it. Eventually, Octavian, Caesar's successor, defeated their troops, and they both committed suicide.
Claudius was executed for the coup organized by his wife and lover
In addition to challenging the skills of prostitutes, Valeria Messalina, the wife of Emperor Claudius, was also accused of carrying Claudius behind his back. St, married to another man, Gaius Silius, famous. Together they plot to overthrow Claudius and rule the empire. All these plans fell apart when Claudius found out, and executed them both.
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