this post was submitted on 28 May 2025
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Roman historians were known to slander anyone they did not like. But in the case of women it was especially egregious since they were almost always described as being hypersexual. Most of their accounts were written several hundreds of years after their subject's death.

They have described Cleopatra as someone who frequents orgies, had harem of young men and that she was willing to sleep with anyone as long as they agreed to be executed in the morning. Pliny described the wife of the Emperor Claudius as secretly going to the brothel to prostitute herself and having won a competition with the most popular whore there.

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[–] [email protected] 23 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Don't forget all those Roommates!

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

They were just friends! Really, really, really close friends! And so what that they occasionally had sex—Romans were just friendly like that!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 weeks ago

Specially with little boys!

[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Helen of Troy/Sparta has suffered a similar fate. Her part or responsibility in the actions of Alexander/Paris often reflect what a particular society and a time period think of women in general.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 weeks ago

I remember thinking in Assassin's Creed Origins that Cleopatra is still being slandered by 2,000+ year old propaganda.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 weeks ago

When you're in a whoremongering competition and your adversary is Messalina.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 2 weeks ago

Also anyone in the 'Man-o-sphere'

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Can we bring this back, but for men? I'll start: Stalin was an absolute whore.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago

Is this a poisoner?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago

Mark Antony: "My interests align with Cleopatra's, there's no reason why I shouldn't enter into an alliance with-"

Roman historians: "SIMP"