The Dedalus Book of Roman Decadence: Emperors of Debauchery

by Geoffrey Farrington

  Tacitus

  An account of what would. seem to be a fairly typical Neronian orgy.

  XV, 37: A TYPICAL

  NERONIAN ORGY

  Nero, wishing to make it look as if nowhere pleased him as much as Rome, began to give banquets in public places there, and indeed to use the whole city as if it were his house. The most celebrated and extravagant feast was that given by Tigellinus, and I shall describe it as a typical example, to save myself from repeating over and over again the same tale of wanton behaviour. He had a great raft built on the Lake of Agrippa, and on that he held the banquet, while other vessels pulled it along. These other ships were decorated with gold and ivory, and the rowers were all perverts, arranged according to age and special sexual skills. He had also collected wild animals and birds and sea-beasts from every corner of the earth and from the ocean. On the shores of the lake were brothels, stocked with high-born ladies, and nearby you could see completely naked whores. First there were obscene dances and gestures, and then, when it got dark, songs and bright lights became audible and visible in all the woods and houses nearby. Nero had already become totally familiar with every kind of lust, natural or unnatural, and left no vice untried that would make him even more corrupt than he already was - except that a few days after this feast he `married' (and with full ceremonial!) one of the mob of perverts, a man called Pythagoras. The emperor wore a bridal veil and there were witnesses, a dowry, a marriage bed and ceremonial torches. Everything was on show which is normally covered by night, even when the bride is actually a woman.

  Martial

  AD 40-104

  Epigrammatist

  Marcus Valerius Martialis was born in Spain and went to live in Rome in AD 64. His literary talents won him numerous wealthy and influential acquaintances and patrons, including the emperors Titus and Domitian, and a number of honours and privileges were granted him, but his situation remained financially precarious, choosing as he did to live solely by his pen. His short, witty poems concentrated upon the human weaknesses he saw about him in Roman life, yet are ultimately good natured and lack the real malice and bitterness so conspicuous in the satires of his contemporary and friend Juvenal.

  MARTIAL

  from the Epigrams

  Josephus

  Born AD 37

  Jewish Historian

  Following the eventual overthrow and suicide of Nero (AD 68) and the assassination of his unpopular successor Galba (AD 69) the empire was plunged into a brutal civil war between three rival claimants to the throne. The eventual victor was Vespasian, founder of the Flavian dynasty. He had been appointed by Nero as commander of the Roman forces in Judaea, to quell the Jewish revolt of AD 66-70. Josephus served in the war as a Jewish commander in the siege of Jotapata. Captured by the Romans, he was brought before Vespasian, whose favour he won, reputedly by prophesying his imperial destiny. Later, under Vespasian's protection, he went to live in Rome, where he wrote his history of the Jewish War, losing no opportunity in the process to justify his own often less than honourable behaviour.

  Having made his grip upon the empire secure, Vespasian dispatched his son Titus to complete the subjugation of the Jews. The following is Josephus' depiction of Vespasian's and Titus' Triumph - the thanksgiving procession of a military commander and his victorious army through the streets of Rome - following their reconquest of rebel Judaea.

  JOSEPHUS

  From The Jewish Wars, VII, 123-50 (VII, 4-7)

  The soldiers had marched out in centuries and cohorts under their commanders while it was still dark, and were drawn up not near the gates of the Upper Palace on the Palatine Hill, but near to the Temple of Isis on the Campus Martius. The generals had spent the night there, and at dawn Vespasian and Titus came out wearing laurel wreaths and the traditional purple robes, and went to the Portico of Octavia. There the full Senate, the chief magistrates, and the order of knights were all waiting for them. A this with ivory chairs on it for them had been set up in front of the colonnade, and they sat down, whereupon the soldiers at once started shouting out with delight, and acclaiming their bravery with a single voice. They themselves were unarmed, wearing silk robes and laurels. After he had acknowledged the cheers of the soldiers, Vespasian gave a sign for silence, even though they wanted to go on for longer. A complete silence descended, and the emperor got up, covered most of his head with his cloak and offered up the usual prayers. Titus did the same thing. Vespasian made a brief speech to the assembled group after the prayers, and then dismissed the soldiers to the meal that victorious generals usually gave. Vespasian himself withdrew to the Gate of triumph - so-called because the triumphal processions pass through it. There, he and Titus broke their own fast, and then put on the triumphal garments and made sacrifices to the gods whose images are on each side of the gate. After that they continued the triumphal procession, moving through the various theatres on the way, so that the crowds would get a better view.

  It would not be possible to do justice to the many sights that were to be seen - works of art, displays of riches, natural wonders. Almost all the treasures that fortunefavoured men have ever got their hands on - the fantastic riches of many nations - were brought together that day and it all bore witness to the greatness of the Roman Empire. Vast amounts of silver, gold and ivory in every shape imaginable was on display, but not as if they were being carried in a triumphal procession - rather as if it were some flowing river. Tapestries were carried along, some in the rarest purple, and others with life portraits by Babylonian artists; clear gemstones, some set in golden crowns, and some differently set, were carried past in such huge numbers that it made us rethink our notions that any of them were actually rare at all. Then came massive and beautifully crafted images of the gods, every one made from expensive materials. Many species of animal were led past, all adorned with the proper trappings. Each group of beasts was accompanied by a large group of men dressed in clothes which were dyed with genuine Tyrian purple and which had gold thread woven in. These attendants, handpicked for the triumphal procession, all wore marvellous and unbelievably expensive ornaments. Not even the rabble of captives were unadorned. The variety and beauty of their clothes hid any ugliness caused by physical suffering. But nothing in the triumph caused as much excitement as the floats, the tall-structured pageant-wagons. In fact, their size caused concern, as people worried about their stability. Many were three or four stories high, and their magnificent trappings were a source of delight as well as surprise. Many were hung with tapestries interwoven with gold thread, which all had ivory and gold frames. There were various tableaux showing successive stages in the war, depicting the people and the events very vividly. One picture showed a prosperous country being laid waste; another showed whole enemy battalions being massacred; men running away and men being taken prisoner; huge walls being smashed by siege-engines and fortresses being attacked; cities with good defences completely overrun, with the Roman army pouring across their ramparts; a sea of blood, with those unable to resist raising their hands in surrender; temples set on fire and homes pulled down about their owners' heads; and after complete desolation and misery the river flowing not through cultivated fields, or supplying water to man and beast, but through a country still engulfed in flames. These were the sufferings that the Jews had to undergo when they set out upon this war. The artistry and great craftsmanship of these pageant-displays showed the events to those who had not experienced them as if they were happening before their very eyes. On each float was the leader of a captured city, posed in the position in which he had been taken prisoner. Following these pageant-wagons, a number of ships were carried along, too. Most of the plunder was piled up haphazardly, but more prominent than the rest was the treasure taken at the Temple in Jerusalem: a golden table weighing many talents of bullion, and a gold menorah, a candelabra made differently from the ones we usually use. There was a central shaft fitted onto a base, and from it extended thin branches, a bit like a trident, and at the end of each branch was a
lamp. There were seven of these, representing the great significance given to that number by Jews. A set of Torah-scrolls, the Jewish Law, was carried after this and all the other treasures. Next came a large group of men carrying images of Victory herself, made out of gold or ivory, and behind them rode Vespasian and then Titus. Domitian rode beside them, dressed magnificently, on a finely caparisoned horse.

  The triumph ended at the temple of Capitoline Jove, where the procession halted. It was an ancient custom to wait there until news came that the enemy general had been executed. The general involved was Simon, son of Gioras, who had walked in the procession with the prisonersof-war. Now, with a noose thrown round his neck, he was dragged to the usual place in the Forum, while his guards beat him. Roman Law specifies that those condemned to death as enemies of the state should be executed at that spot. The news of his death was greeted with universal shouting, and the sacrifices were begun. After the imperial family had made the customary and appropriate prayers, they returned to the palace. Some people were entertained at their table, while great banquets had been arranged for the others in their own homes. Rome celebrated all day the victorious campaign against its enemies, the end of civil disturbances, and the hope for future successes.

  When the triumphal ceremonies were over and the Roman Empire most firmly established, Vespasian decided to build a temple to Peace. This was surprisingly quickly finished, and artistically it went beyond all human imagination. Apart from the fact that he had unlimited wealth available, Vespasian also decorated it with ancient masterpieces of paintings and statues. In fact, objects that men had wandered all over the world to see, eager to set eyes on them when they were in different countries, were now collected and placed in this temple. Here, too, he placed the golden ritual vessels (he gloried in having taken these) from the Temple of Jerusalem. The Laws, and the purple hangings from the Holy of Holies, however, he ordered to be placed in his palace.

  Satyricon, 85-7

  When I was in the eastern part of the empire, working for a treasury official, I stayed at a house in Pergamum. I stayed there willingly, not just because of the elegant house, but also because of my host's incredibly handsome son. I had thought out a plan how to become his lover without his father realising, and whenever at dinner the subject was brought up of taking advantage of goodlooking boys, I flew into a complete rage and said so sternly that my ears were offended by these dirty stories that the mother, especially, looked on me favourably as a philosopher. After that I began to take the youth to the gymnasium, to arrange his schooling, to teach him, and in anticipation of my own intentions, to warn his parents not to let any potential seducers into the house ...

  One day, when a public holiday had cut short our work, we were resting in the dining room, too lazy to go to bed because of our prolonged partying. Around midnight I noticed that the boy was still awake. So in a very quiet whisper I prayed: `Mistress Venus, if I could kiss this boy without him noticing, I would give him a pair of doves tomorrow.'

  The boy began to snore when he heard the cost of my pleasure, so I snuck up to the little impostor and fell upon him with kisses. Happy with this beginning I got up early the next morning and brought him the pair of doves he was waiting for, and so fulfilled my promise. The next night I had another chance, but this time I changed my prayer and said, `If I can run my lustful hands all over him without him feeling anything, I will give him two of the very fiercest fighting cocks for it.' Hearing this prayer, the boy himself moved over to me and, I think, began to get worried that I might fall asleep. Of course, I gave him no grounds for concern, and so I gorged myself on his whole body without the ultimate pleasure. When day came, I brought the happy boy what I had promised.

  On the third night, I had another opportunity. I got up and murmured into the ear of the boy, who was apparently sleeping rather badly: `Immortal gods, if you allow him to sleep and let me have my full desires and full intercourse, for this pleasure I will give the boy the best Macedonian thoroughbred horse. The one condition is that he notice nothing.' The youth had never slept so soundly. First of all, I ran my hands over his milk-white breast, soon I was stuck to his lips, and finally all my desires came to a single head. The next morning he sat in his room and waited for me to follow my usual routine. Well, you know how much easier it is to buy doves and fighting cocks than thoroughbred horses, and anyway, I was scared in case a present that was so far over the top might make my generosity a bit suspect. After I had wandered around for a few hours, when I came back to the house I only gave the boy a kiss. He looked about as he threw his arms about my neck and asked, `Please sir, where's my horse.'

  Breaking my word had effectively denied me access, but I returned to my licentious ways. A few days later, a similar chance left us in the same position. When I heard the father snoring, I began to ask the youth to let us become friends again, and to let himself be satisfied by my love, and all the other things that you say out of rampant desire. He was clearly angry and only said, `Go to sleep or I'll tell my father on you.' Nothing is impossible, however, if you are really prepared to be depraved. Even as he said, `I'll wake father,' I crawled into bed with him and took my pleasure despite his (faint) resistance. In actual fact, he was not unpleased with my naughtiness. After a long complaint about how he had been deceived, made fun of and bitched about by his classmates because he had boasted about my wealth, he said, `you'll see that I'm not as mean as you. Do it again if you want.'

  I was back in favour with the boy, all of his hard feelings gone, and after abusing his kindness I went to sleep. The boy was not happy with just one encore, because he was fully developed and of an age where he was eager for more. So he woke me from my sleep and said, `Don't you want anything?' Of course it wasn't that much of a chore. Therefore, though I was shattered by all the sweating and grunting, he got what he wanted, and I fell asleep again, exhausted by pleasure. Less than an hour later he began to poke me and said, `why aren't we doing it?' Then I completely lost my temper at being woken up so often, and I used his own words back at him, 'go to sleep or I'll tell your father on you.'

  Cassius Dio

  Born AD 163/4

  Roman Historian

  Cassius Dio was a distinguished senator and a friend and colleague to numerous emperors. He wrote a complete history of Rome from its foundation to the death of the emperor Alexander Severus in AD 235, and is a major source of information for the events of the second and early third centuries, to many of which he was a first hand witness. His straightforward and often curiously naive approach is a far cry from the subtle complexities of Tacitus, but much of the information he conveys is unique and invaluable.

  The following extract describes an event in the reign of Domitian, the second son of Vespasian and last emperor of the Flavian dynasty, who ruled from 81-96 AD following the early death of his brother Titus. Domitian was a grim and suspicious man much feared and hated by the senate - understandably, given this bizarre story of Dio's.

  CASSIUS DIO

  from The Roman History

  LXVII, 9

  On that occasion, then, Domitian provided delights for the masses; but on another occasion he entertained the senior senators and members of the nobility like this - he had a room prepared that was black everywhere, on the ceiling, the walls and the floor, with plain couches of the same colour on the bare floorboards. Then he invited the guests in singly, at night, and unattended. And first he put beside each one a stele, a grave-tablet with the guest's own name, and a little lamp of the sort placed in tombs. Then in came some pretty boys, naked and painted black, like phantoms, who moved around in a frightening dance, and then one stood at the feet of each guest. And after this, things that are normally offered at sacrifices for the dead, all black, and on dishes of the same colour, were set out, so that every guest was trembling with fear, all of them expecting their throats to be cut. This was made worse by the fact that everyone there kept completely silent, as if they were already in the halls of the dead, except for Do
mitian, who only talked about death and killing. In the end he dismissed them all, but he had already sent away their own slaves (who had been waiting in the hall) and now handed them over to ones they did not know, to be taken off in coaches or litters. This filled their minds with much greater anxiety. And just as each guest reached his home and had begun to breathe again, he was told that there was a message from Domitian Augustus. This time, while they were waiting to die, someone brought in the guest's stele (which was made of silver), and then gradually others brought in different things, including the dinner dishes, which were very expensively made. And at the end came the boy who had been the `ghost' of each guest, now cleaned and adorned. So after having been terrified for an entire night, the guests now received their gifts.

  Juvenal

  Born AD 55?

  Satirist

  Little is known for certain about the life of Decimus Junius Juvenalis. He was probably the son of a wealthy Spanish ex-slave, who embarked upon a successful public career, but was supposedly exiled to Egypt by Domitian for some offence given in his writings. He was recalled to Rome after Domitian's assassination in AD 96, his wealth, position and career lost and, forced to live in humiliating circumstances, produced a series of marvellous and vitriolic satires which parade the warts of the Roman scene before us with unrivalled vividness.