re: Was Caesar Augustus gay?

Anyone with statues of cocks in indeed gay boy

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Right it wasn't, but I'm saying it seems like he was homosexual not bisexual

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Well, this would be wholly inaccurate, as Augustus Caesar had documented relations with not one, but three wives, and those relations even overlapped with each other (wives one and two). So he's clearly at LEAST bisexual.

As far as homosexuality is concerned, there's no real evidence of this beyond a close relationship with Agrippa and the fact that he didn't produce a child with his second wife, Livia, to whom he was married for more than 50 years.

Then there's the fact that he launched a morality crusade during his rule to restrict prostitution, adultery and homosexuality in the Empire, which of course, failed. To me, this is probably more indicative that he partook in such behavior, because as history has shown time and time again, we are what we hate.

Unfortunately, that can only be inferred, not proven.

So we have proven heterosexual activity, and possible bisexual or homosexual activity.

I won't deny that the Roman view of sexuality and what was "normal" isn't exactly the same as our modern view, which may be more ready to label people according to sexual orientation. So there could have been some bisexual activity that the Romans just didn't bother or care to label when it came to Augustus. Or maybe they were terrified to call him out on it or write it down.

But I will introduce two counter arguments to think about:

First, despite what you may have heard about ancient Rome, it was nowhere near the come-one come-all sex fest that is often portrayed in modern media. The Romans were actually a very severe and conservative people at their core. Don't be fooled by what was portrayed in art and history that was written at a later time. Republican Rome and Rome under Augustus was a pretty conservative place, by and large.

Secondly, while we read into Augustus' motives and actions that may reveal his possible homosexuality, why do we not do the same with the person who everyone says would most likely to have been his partner, Marcus Agrippa? There's almost nothing out there that suggests that Agrippa was homosexual, yet there's all sort of talk about Augustus getting it on with Agrippa like he's the love of Augustus' life.

Why would this be? Because making inferences to Agrippa's possible homosexuality makes no waves and garners no interest. So people leave him alone. But Augustus? Big target. Big rumors. Big interest. People always have motivations for painting a figure of the past the way that they want to see him, because there's so little evidence to contradict them. The more distant the figure in the past the easier it is to do it.

So no clear evidence of Augustus exists pointing to the fact that he's a homosexual. Actual evidence does exist that he was heterosexual. Yet we are more ready to believe the rumor than the evidence. Why is that?

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because as history has shown time and time again, we are what we hate.

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I am not so sure about that. I believe people hate many things for many apparently irrational reasons.

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I think he went by Octavion Gaius Julius Caesar or something, but the people called him Caesar, the military called him Gaius, and his friends called him Octavion. And then eventually he went by Augustus, but everyone called him Princept

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I can clarify this one:

Names of Augustus Caesar:

Born: Gaius Octavius

After adoption by Julius Caesar: Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus (commonly called "Octavian")

After assuming power as "Emperor": Princeps Senatus Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus Augustus, Pontifex Maxiumus, Imperator (called Augustus Caesar or "Princeps" thereafter)

et tu, tiger1242?

they explored their slabves, but he committed insest

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I mean that is literally exactly what I said

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Actually, no. But why on earth are you so sensitive?

It just gets annoying every time there is a history thread a few ppl have to come in and act like total experts, and over correct any miss spelling or slightly incorrect name

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It just gets annoying every time there is a history thread a few ppl

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people

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have to come in and act like total experts, and over correct any miss spelling or slightly incorrect name

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misspelling

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He didn't go by Augustus though, or so I've read, but he went by the title Princepts bc it meant first citizen therefore sounded less dictatorial

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There is no telling at this point. Perhaps his advisors suggested that he change his name. I also don't believe we can judge his relationship with Agrippa based on how our American society works in this century. Perhaps men were closer in those days because it was necessary and part of the Roman culture of the time. Perhaps they were both flaming homosexuals. We will never know but to judge anything they did by today's standards is a mistake. Unless you lived during that time there is no way to understand how they behaved.