this post was submitted on 20 Oct 2024
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Rough Roman Memes
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Explanation: In Caesar's relative youth, he spent some time at the court of Nicomedes IV, representing the Roman Republic. Due to their closeness, rumors arose that Caesar was the 'bottom' for Nicomedes, leading to the nickname of 'The Queen of Bithynia', including by his own beloved soldiers, something he vehemently denied all of his life. In Roman society, male-male relations were viewed through the lens of social and power dynamics - it was okay for a citizen to 'top' a non-citizen, such as a provincial or slave, but a citizen who 'bottomed' was considered somewhat shameful and effeminate.
This could be the odd lens of Populares (the supporters of the poor) like Caesar being depicted by the Optimates (supporters of the wealthy) as having animalistic sexual magnetism, but given I choose to believe it when Caesar was called 'Every woman's man and every man's woman', we stan the Queen of Bithynia in this house! o7 o7 o7 o7