it's difficult to know because historical sources are so sketchy, but it seems his love for the Egyptian queen Cleopatra was genuine, although Julius Caesar was rumoured to have had a romantic relationship with the King of Bithynia when he was a boy.
Probably not, he seemed like a bit of a womaniser.
Although, Suetonius DOES suggest that Julius Caesar's young nephew Octavian (later to become the first Roman Emperor, Augustus) gave his uncle various "favours" whilst away on campaign with him in order to get closer in line to power, and I don't think Suetonius meant Octi did Julius' washing up for him.
In any case, his wife and string of mistresses suggest that, if anything, he was bisexual. Or pansexual haha.
There isn't a lot of concrete evidence to suggest that he was, though. Why do you ask, I wonder?
He was certainly not exclusively gay as we know he had relationships with women.
But it's a modern question you are asking about an era when "straight" & "gay" were not so much of an issue. The Romans had no issue at all with male/male relationships - and you certainly wouldn't be executed for it as one answerer has claimed. Emperor Hadrian was openly gay, for example.
The main taboo Romans had was on being effeminate. So even if you were a straight man, but overly affectionate or devoted to your wife, this was seen as a sign of weakness and could prompt ridicule and even public downfall. Similarly, it was acceptable to be gay so long as you were the dominant partner. So in short, Romans didn't even really think about gay or straight - just weak or strong.
His full name was Gaius Julius Caesar. He had a wife, Calpurnia.
The Mediterranean cultural ideal for men in power was to have sex with other men for play and to have sex with women for reproduction. He may have followed this dictum.
"Gay" is a thoroughly modern term. Read Skinner's SEXUALITY IN GREEK AND ROMAN CULTURE, Halperin's little essay, "100 Years of Homosexuality," Winkler's CONSTRAINTS OF DESIRE, and James Davidson's COURTESAN'S AND FISHCAKES, please.
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it's difficult to know because historical sources are so sketchy, but it seems his love for the Egyptian queen Cleopatra was genuine, although Julius Caesar was rumoured to have had a romantic relationship with the King of Bithynia when he was a boy.
Julius Caesar Gay
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RE:
Was Julius Caesar gay?
Probably not, he seemed like a bit of a womaniser.
Although, Suetonius DOES suggest that Julius Caesar's young nephew Octavian (later to become the first Roman Emperor, Augustus) gave his uncle various "favours" whilst away on campaign with him in order to get closer in line to power, and I don't think Suetonius meant Octi did Julius' washing up for him.
In any case, his wife and string of mistresses suggest that, if anything, he was bisexual. Or pansexual haha.
There isn't a lot of concrete evidence to suggest that he was, though. Why do you ask, I wonder?
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I really couldn't say as I was not around at the time of Julius Caesar.
He was certainly not exclusively gay as we know he had relationships with women.
But it's a modern question you are asking about an era when "straight" & "gay" were not so much of an issue. The Romans had no issue at all with male/male relationships - and you certainly wouldn't be executed for it as one answerer has claimed. Emperor Hadrian was openly gay, for example.
The main taboo Romans had was on being effeminate. So even if you were a straight man, but overly affectionate or devoted to your wife, this was seen as a sign of weakness and could prompt ridicule and even public downfall. Similarly, it was acceptable to be gay so long as you were the dominant partner. So in short, Romans didn't even really think about gay or straight - just weak or strong.
His full name was Gaius Julius Caesar. He had a wife, Calpurnia.
The Mediterranean cultural ideal for men in power was to have sex with other men for play and to have sex with women for reproduction. He may have followed this dictum.
Bisexuality was very accepted during the reign of Julius Ceasar, so I'm assuming he had a couple of one on one's with the palace hotties.
I don't think so, If I'm not corrected he like the Egyptian pharaoh Cleopatra. He had an affair with her.
"Gay" is a thoroughly modern term. Read Skinner's SEXUALITY IN GREEK AND ROMAN CULTURE, Halperin's little essay, "100 Years of Homosexuality," Winkler's CONSTRAINTS OF DESIRE, and James Davidson's COURTESAN'S AND FISHCAKES, please.