Behind the Throne: The Dark Truths of Ancient Rome’s Emperors
One of the reasons people find the Roman Empire so fascinating is the often extreme vices attributed to its emperors. Ancient historians were experts at attributing the most brutal crimes to emperors they disapproved of. It’s sometimes hard to decide how much credence to give to ancient literary sources when they are so willing to sling so much mud, but sifting probable fact from probable fiction is what historians do. For instance, in his book “Rome is Burning” Anthony Barrett clears the Emperor Nero of charges that he deliberately started the fire that burned half of Rome, or that he ordered his agents to prevent it being put out, but even he admits in this generally pro-Nero book that though he wasn’t an arsonist, he almost certainly murdered his own mother.
So, here is a list of four of the most outlandish accusations made against Roman Emperors by ancient historians. Some are almost certainly true, some almost certainly false, and some a mix of both. Read on to learn more about what really lies behind the throne.
Behind the Throne of Emperor Tiberius
Suetonius was a member of Emperor Hadrian’s staff who is most famous today for his collection of biographies of Rome’s early emperors, the Twelve Caesars. Tacitus, whose Annals and Histories covers the same time period is today more highly regarded as a historian, but Suetonius’ willingness to share every extreme rumor about his subjects makes for much more salacious reading. His harrowing descriptions of the life and habits of Tiberius during his years of semi-isolation on the island of Capri paints a picture of a total monster. He describes a brutal tyrant who enjoyed watching condemned prisoners thrown from the high rocky cliffs to their deaths. A hard and brutal man whose finger strength was capable of crushing an apple or piercing a child’s skull. A paranoid man who orchestrated the deaths of his own family members and executed scores of people for such minor offenses as carrying a ring with Augustus’ face on it into a lavatory.
Most grotesque of all however are his descriptions of Tiberius’ sex life. Amongst the usual accusations of debauchery he added two incredible claims. Supposedly, He liked to swim nude with children he called little fishes who had been trained to nibble at his genitals, and having unweaned infants suckle at his groin. How much of this can be believed is difficult to say.
Tom Holland, author of Dynasty, argues that these rumors may partly reflect many Roman’s distrust of public figures who, like Tiberius, refused to spend their lives on public display. That there could be no legitimate reason for an emperor to isolate himself from the city of Rome, he had to be up to no good. Therefore, rumors spread out of control. Maybe, but Jeffrey Epstein and his island might offer a counterpoint. Extremely rich and Powerful people sometimes really do want privacy for nefarious purposes.
Behind the Throne of Emperor Justinian
Procopius is an interesting writer because he presents two very different versions of the same emperor. A legal advisor to the general Belisarius, he wrote two books that were very complimentary to the Emperor Justinian: “The History of the Wars” which narrated wars against the Persians, the reconquest of North Africa from the Vandals, and the campaigns to retake Italy from the Ostrogoths, and “the buildings”, which discussed the grand building projects completed during Justinian’s reign, including the Hagia Sophia.
And then there is his “Secret History” which savages not only Justinian and especially his wife Theodora, but also his former boss and the hero of the “History of the Wars”, the general Belisarius. In this work Procopius reaches heights of invective not seen since Suetonius four centuries earlier. Her early career is described as not only an actress but a prostitute whose shows included a reenactment of the myth of Leda and the Swan in which geese would eat corn from her vagina. Most improbable of all is his description of Justinian as a literal Demon, With supposed eyewitnesses describing him transform back and forth from Demon to man right in full public view. Were these his true opinions, which he had to hide under a vicious tyrant and he knew would only come to light after his death?
Did his opinions change over time?
We really don’t know.
Behind the Throne of Emperor Elagabalus
The emperor Elagabalus and his short reign provided plenty of fodder for hostile historians. One claim that is probably true is his marriage and divorce to a vestal virgin. It’s almost impossible today for us to imagine how sacrilegious that would have seemed to Romans of his time. But it is another facet of Elagabalus’ character that Harry Sidebottom in his book “The mad emperor” is very wary to attribute to him. Or her. One of the most famous claims about Elagabalus is that the emperor preferred to be treated as a woman and offered a reward to anyone who could surgically change their penis into a vagina. Was Elagabalus transgender? Was that simply an outlandish accusation by hostile and xenophobic writers who disapproved of his supposedly effeminate eastern habits, religious devotion, and reliance on his powerful mother and grandmother? Does it even make sense to try to attach modern conceptions of sex and gender to such an alien society as Ancient Rome? Those are interesting questions but we just don’t have enough information to answer them.
An emperor changing their own sexual identity is one thing, but what about an emperor forcing someone else to change theirs? The emperor Nero’s favorite wife was the beautiful Poppea Sabina. Nevertheless, Tacitus and Suetonius alleged that he kicked her to death. He then went into extravagant mourning and tried to recreate her by having a young man by the name of Sporus who bore a resemblance to her castrated and dressed in her clothes. He called Sporus by his wife’s name and travelled in state with him as if he was his wife.
In his book Pax, Tom Holland sets the life of Sporus against the backdrop of the craze for beautiful eunuchs amongst the Roman elite of his time and the way in which, like with his Golden Palace, Neto had to take current fashions to incredible extremes. He further describes how After Nero’s death, Sporus came into the possession of Otho, a former friend of Nero and the man who had been married to Poppea before she married Nero, his fall, and the suicide of Sporus before he could be paraded in triumph by Vitellius. The sad story of Sporus gives a name to the many victims of imperial excess, both real and exaggerated, that accompanied such a fascinating, if often revolting regime.
Final Thoughts
In the grand tapestry of history, the tales of Roman Emperors stand out for their blend of extreme actions, whispered scandals, and outlandish behavior. Yet, as we venture deeper into the accounts of ancient historians, we’re reminded of the challenges in discerning the line between reality and rumor.
It’s essential to approach these stories with a blend of skepticism and curiosity, recognizing that sometimes, the truth may be stranger than the legend. Ancient Rome was a world of power, luxury, and ambition, where even the most incredible tales might contain a kernel of truth. As we sift through the layers of hearsay, propaganda, and genuine historical records, we’re offered a tantalizing glimpse into the complexities of an empire that has, for centuries, captured our collective imagination.
