We’ve Always Been Here, Pt. 2: More Queer History through the Ages

June 11- Third Genders and Two-Spirit Persons

The term Two-Spirit is a relatively modern pan-Indian term used to describe people who fulfill a third-gender role within Native American and Native Alaskan communities. This term was coined as a way of describing someone (in English) who may be male, female or intersex and who combines the gendered activities of both men and women, while also acknowledging their own unique traits and status. In tribes where two-spirit men and women are referred to with the same term, they constitute a third gender; if the tribe refers to two-spirit men and women with different terms, they become distinct third and fourth genders.

Male and female two-spirit people were often described based on their achievements and preference in the work of the “opposite” sex or within their own unique roles. This includes craftwork such as basket weaving, pottery making and leatherworking as well as engaging in activities of hunting, warfare and leadership. A variety of other identifiers distinguished two-spirit persons, including dress, lifestyle, temperament and social roles. Two-spirit individuals were widely believed to be linked to supernatural phenomena including spiritual intervention in the form of visions, dreams and other means of communication sanctioned within tribal mythology. In many tribes, two-spirit people filled spiritual and religious roles as healers, shamans and ceremonial leaders. Two-spirit people typically formed relationships (sexual and emotional) with non-two-spirit members of their own sex within their community; among some tribes, including the Lakota, Mohave, Crow, and Cheyenne, two-spirit people were believed to be “lucky in love” and capable of bestowing this amorous luck onto others.

Most native communities have terms in their own language for other-gendered persons as well as the details of roles and responsibilities these individuals would fulfill. With over 500 surviving Native American cultures, there is a myriad of attitudes about sex, gender and social roles as is to be expected from such a diverse community, and not all cultures welcome or use a pan-Indian umbrella term such as two-spirit to replace the terms already used in their culture. 

While the roles of third or other-gendered persons vary from tribe to tribe, it is clear that gender was certainly more fluid among Native American society when compared with the norms of European colonizers. The effects of these differences resulted in extreme marginalization of Indigenous peoples both in terms of racial/ethnic identity as well as gender and sexual expression. Christian European colonizers used Indigenous same-sex relationships and gender variance as ways to condemn and further dehumanize Native American people in the push to invade and displace them from their lands. 

Despite these persecutions and systemic injustices, the strength of Indigenous voices continues to be heard, and many of the traditions and cultural practices are being preserved by incredible caretakers. Since the 1990’s, national gatherings of two-spirit people have been held, and regional gatherings are held throughout many parts of the country. For more information please visit www.ihs.gov/lgbt.

Sources:

~Lord Ragnall Cennétig (he/him)

June 10- Leonardo da Vinci

Erasure is a concept anyone familiar with history should be aware of. “History is written by the victors” goes the cliché, articulating that every narrative can be as fickle as the moods of those retelling the tale. So it is for one of the great artists of the 16th century, a man whose works cause people to stand in line for hours simply to get a glimpse of them. Leonardo da Vinci is often praised as a Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, inventor, military engineer, draftsman and mentor, but what time has tried to erase, what has been researched and found, is that Leonardo da Vinci was also a queer man. The artist credited with painting noted works like The Last Supper and the Mona-Lisa is also responsible for creating St. John the Baptist and Angel Incarnato, both works thought to depict his muse and lover, with the latter sporting a full erection. 

The man said to be da Vinci’s lover was Gian Giacomo Caprotti, nicknamed ‘Salai,’ meaning ‘little devil,’ in response to Gian’s precocious habit of stealing da Vinci’s things and playing pranks. While historians have debated da Vinci’s sexual identity in the past, the general consensus today is that he was engaged romantically with both Salai, and later a young man named Francesco Melzi, both of whom were apprenticed under da Vinci. Indeed, these relations lasted for long periods, Salai staying with da Vinci for 25 years, departing just before the artist’s passing, while Melzi was there with the dying artist through until the end. Both of these young men were benefactors in da Vinci’s will, with Salai being gifted an estate outside Milan, and Melzi listed as the heir to the remainder of Leonardo’s artistic and scientific estate. 

This attitude of permissive homosexuality amongst men is well documented in 15th century Florence. Despite the fact that sodomy was considered illegal, it appears to have been treated with an air of acceptance, given only about 20 percent of those accused of sodomy were actually convicted and fewer still jailed. The list of renaissance men who had carnal or romantic relationships with members of the same sex is a long one and contains other famous names such as Michelangelo, who wrote love poems to Tommaso Cavelieri, a young nobleman, and Machiavelli, who had an ongoing affair with a sex worker named Riccio.

Sadly, if you walk the museum-converted halls of Château du Clos Lucé, where Leonardo da Vinci spent his last years, you will find few references to the artist’s two long term companions. It is quite unfortunate that the sands of time, whether malicious or not, seem to have robbed these men of their contribution to the artistic workings of such a talented artist. Perhaps additional historical research will bring about a karmic kindness and reunite the history of these famous men and their muses, so that they too may be given the recognition they deserve.

Sources:

~Lord Ragnall Cennétig (he/him)

June 9- Rolandina Ronchaia

Rolandina Ronchaia lived in the Rialto of Venice during the 14th century. She was considered male at birth, but had a feminine face, voice, gestures, with pronounced breasts. She married a woman early in life, but never had sexual intercourse with her, nor any other woman, because of a lack of sexual appetite and an inability to achieve an erection. Failure to gain an erection was grounds for a divorce in early modern Italy, and after nearly ten years, Rolandina’s wife left the marriage.

After the divorce, Rolandina moved to Padua to live with a mason and it was there that she began to sleep with men as a woman, hiding her penis during intercourse. Rolandina then moved back to Venice, and with her voice, gestures and outward appearance being so feminine, others also believed she was a woman. This is when she began using the name Rolandina. 

Rolandina frequented brothels and was asked to have sex with many men in Venice, all thinking Rolandina to be a woman. She deceived them by taking hold of the penis of the man while they were on top of her and inserting it into her rear. She lived successfully as a woman and supported herself through sex work for more than seven years.

In early 1354, Ronchaia was apprehended on the streets of the Venetian Rialto by the Lords of the Night, the magistrates in the Republic of Venice that operated in special courts, during a routine sweep against moral crimes. The Lords of the Night’s interest in Ronchaia’s allegedly criminal activities was not limited to prostitution but moreso for being a man dressed in women’s clothing for the purpose of sexually deceiving men. When interrogated, the questioning centered around Rolandina’s genitalia and motivations. She was asked:

“If anyone committing that act with him saw [his] penis, answered no. 

Asked whether [his] own penis became erect while [he] was with those men, answered no. 

Asked why [he] committed that sin, [he] answered, “to bring in some money.”

The misgendering in that transcript of the trial is faithful to the original text, and unsurprising given the time and circumstances. Rolandina was then tortured and interrogated at the Lords’ command to better speak the truth. Even after being whipped, she would give the same answers. As a result, on March 28 1355, Rolandina was sentenced to be burned until death.

Sources:

~Tove Elwyn (they/them)

June 8- Gender Fluidity in the Viking Age

Much social discourse has transpired over the years about what makes someone masculine or feminine. Many societies purport to know best and yet the more we review history the more obvious it becomes that structures around gender are culture-specific social constructions, which are rarely binary and can be quite fluid.

The study of Nordic cultures is no stranger to misinterpreted assumptions. It was once theorized that, culturally, men and women were so fundamentally different that they were restricted to fixed domains.In Icelandic the term innanstokks means “within the household,” and utanstokks means “outdoor activities,” not only on the property, like farming, but also trade, travel, sailing and fighting. This ideal is hard to imagine being strictly applied, given its heavy binary implication, and a more nuanced approach to gender and its assumed roles should be considered.

In one of the most stereotypical displays, cooking was once considered to be a part of the woman’s domain. This trope persists today, despite having only a few references in written media to support such a claim, and despite archeological evidence in the form of grave goods showing that kitchen equipment is commonly featured in both male and female graves. Corroborating this theory there are several references in written sources of men engaging in food preparation1. This leads to several examples of a much more non-gendered society, where expression was of the individual and duties were designated based on ableness of body and not gendered roles.

Flexing gender stereotypes in Nordic culture in the opposite direction, Seid, or the practice of magic, was considered a strongly female art form, and considered a near solely feminine activity. For a male practitioner to be caught was to be accused of ergi meaning unmanliness, softness or cowardice, it was considered a terrible insult for a man. Yet Odin, the Norse God of War was considered by many to be a great practitioner of seid, once again subverting the narrative of strictly enforced gender binaries.

This would not be the only time that Odin engaged in gender fluid behavior, though. In the mythos he would go on to practice seid in order to travel to the kingdom of the dead and bring back knowledge in the form of runes. In one myth he would don women’s clothing to beget a son, in order to avenge Balder. Odin is not the only male God we have written reference for partaking in cross dressing. Throughout Þrymskviða (The Lay of Thrym) we find Thor being dressed by Heimdal in the finest of bridal garb, in order to trick a giant into thinking they are the Goddess Freyja, and it is mentioned that he is accompanied by Loki, dressed as his bridesmaid. The text translates as such with Heimdal speaking:

“Let’s dress Thor in a bridal head-dress,
 let him wear the great necklace of the Brisings”
 “Let keys jingle about him
 and let women’s clothes fall down to his knees,
 and on his breasts lets display jewels,
 and we’ll arrange a head dress suitably on his head.”2

So while cross dressing or magic using may not have been considered standard behaviors for men, they were, at the same time, not so far removed from the realm of possibility that depictions and stories of such behavior haven’t survived to our modern age.

Further archeological research has provided additional goods in which we find many fluid gender role elements supported by pictorial evidence. Lund University Senior Lecturer, Ing-Marie Back Danielsson, terms many of the gold foil bracteates she has examined as depicting “loving couples” due to uncertain gender determination and has called into question the tendency to affix known categories, i.e. gender, to historical aspects which does not fit into such parameters.3 Other examples clearly show same-sex couples engaging which brings additional queer interpretations to these archeological finds.

Also calling into question assumed gender norms are the depictions on the Gotlandic picture stones. Images that show women carrying drinking horns and greeting warriors, generally interpreted as being depictions of arrival scenes from Valhalla, with at least one such stone depicting a woman as the arriving person.4 Lastly the seated figure, often interpreted as Odin from Gamle Lejre in Denmark, is depicted as wearing a female dress, marking it as a manifestation of the queerness of Odin, as can be argued from his contradictory nature in many mythos stories, or as a manifestation of a female depicted in a seat of power, further reinforcing the break from the innanstokks narrative.5 These pictorial finds continue to show gender as a more complex research point than the previously established binary divide between domicile confined women and farmer/warrior archetypal males.

These findings continue to bring nuance, fluidity and complexity to the discussion of past social norms, just as our modern expressions of gender should be embraced and discussed with open mindedness and nuance in the conversations of today.

Sources:

  • 1  “Vatnsdøla Saga.” In Norrøn Saga, pp. 255-336. vol. II. Aschehoug, Oslo, 1989.
  • 1 Njålssoga. New and complete edition by Jan Ragnar Hagland ed. Verdensbiblioteket bok nr. 32. De norske bokklubbene, Oslo, 2007.
  • 1  “Soga om fosterbrørne.” In Islendingesagaene, edited by J. G. Jørgensen and J. R. Hagland, pp. 327-329. vol. II. V vols. Saga Forlag, Reykjavik, 2014.
  • 1 “Tåtten om Ravn Gudrunsson.” In Islendingesagaene, edited by J. G. Jørgensen and J. R. Hagland. pp. 459 vol. V. Saga Forlag, Reykjavik, 2014.
  • 2 Clunies Ross, Margaret. “Reading Þrymskviða.” The Poetic Edda: Essays on Old Norse Mythology, edited by Paul Acher and Carolyne Larrington. Routledge, New York, 2002.
  • 3 Danielsson, Ing-Marie Back. “Masking Moments: The Transitions of Bodies and Beings in Late Iron Age Scandinavia.” PhD, Stockholms universitet, Stockholm, 2007.
  • 4 Snødal, Porgrunnr. “Ailikn’s Wagon and Odin’s Warriors: The Pictures on the Gotlandic Ardre Monuments.” In The Viking Age: Ireland and the West, edited by J. Sheehan and D. Ó.nCorráin, pp. 446. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2010.
  • 5 Pedersen, Unn. “Vikingtidskvinner i maktens innerste sirkel.” In Dronningen i vikingtid og middelalder, edited by N. Løkka and K. Kjesrud, pp. 116. Spartacus, Oslo, 2017.

~Lord Ragnall Cennétig (he/him)

June 7- Lisbetha Olsdotter

There are many cases throughout history where women have disguised themselves in mens’ clothes in order to do jobs reserved for men. We have fewer examples of those women going on to marry another woman, which brings us to the unusual case of Lisbetha Olofsdotter.

Sources record her name differently: Elisabeth, Lisbetha, or Lisabetha, with Olsdotter or Olofsdotter for the patronymic, but they all agree on the essential details of her story. She was married to the local tailor and had children with him, but left because he was abusive and adulterous. Instead of staying and suffering through the situation, as many women over the centuries have felt compelled to do in such situations, she donned men’s clothing and sought work on a farm.

After 4 years of working on the farm, her master’s brother coerced her into military conscription, threatening to reveal her true identity if she did not. This gained the brother a finder’s fee for getting her to enlist, though it also enriched Lisabetha to the tune of 300 daler in soldier’s wages, a not insignificant sum. To maintain her secret, she made every attempt to appear the soldier, attending every military gathering and even devising a way to urinate while standing like the rest of the men through the use of a horn inserted into her trousers.

While enlisted, Lisbetha married the maid Kjerstin Ersdotter, who, along with the priest and other locals in attendance, appears to have been ignorant of Lisbetha’s true identity. It was, in fact, Kjerstin who reported Lisbetha to the authorities after having been rebuffed at her attempts to consummate their marriage, maintaining that she had been deceived.

In the end, Lisbetha Olsdotter was found guilty by the court, primarily, it seems, for fraud. While part of that centers around her “fooling” Kjerstin into marriage and claiming a soldier’s job (with the court claiming “she allowed herself to be hired for a service she could not perform,” and interesting turn of responsibility in that phrasing) there seems to have been grave concern over her attire. Lisbetha’s choice to dress as a man was thought to be an affront to god and the Bible, an “abomination,” to use the phrasing of the profoundly religious Lutherans in control of Sweden at the time. To make an example of what happens to cross-dressers, Lisbetha was sentenced to death, ordered to wear the clothes of a man and the headdress of a woman when her sentence was carried out. Her public execution, in 1679, was a public decapitation, designed to instill fear in others who would dare to defy gender norms. 

Sources:

  • Fur, Gunlog. “Reading Margins: Colonial Encounters in Sápmi and Lenapehoking in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries.” Feminist Studies, Fall 2006, vol. 32, no. 3, https://www.jstor.org/stable/20459102
  • Liliequist, Jonas. “Elisabeth (Lisbetha) Olofsdotter.” Svenskt kvinnobiografiskt lexikon, 8 March 2018, https://www.skbl.se/en/article/ElisabethLisbethaOlofsdotter

~Maistresse Mariette de Bretagne (she/her)

June 6- The Muxes of Oaxaca

The Muxes (pronounced mu-shay) are a recognized third gender among the Zapotec people in Oaxaca, Mexico. Their origins are debated, with some suggesting they stem from the ancient Zapotec culture due to Zapotec’s genderless language. Indigenous communities worldwide often acknowledge multiple genders, attributing unique social roles and sometimes supernatural powers to individuals identifying as a third gender. European influence and westernized ideologies have diminished these traditions, but among the Zapotec, Muxes are integral to cultural identity and tradition. The term ‘Muxe’ derives from the Spanish word ‘mujer’ for ‘woman’, but the phenomenon predates Spanish colonization, reflecting a broader Mesoamerican acceptance of diverse gender identities. 

In Juchitan, Oaxaca, a legend attributes the creation of Muxes to the patron saint of the city, San Vincente Ferrer, who inadvertently spilled a mixture of male and female seeds, leading to the emergence of Muxes predominantly in this region. Despite external influences, Juchitan has maintained its cultural heritage by blending Spanish colonialism with Zapotec traditions, showcasing the resilience of indigenous identity in the face of historical change.

In Isthmus of Tehuantepec, a small town in Oaxaca, the Muxes hold a significant place in social organization and local tradition. Neither strictly male nor female, Muxes identify with femininity and often dress in traditional female attire without necessarily seeking transgender identity. They self-identify and are recognized as a distinct third gender, adopting characteristics of both male and female roles within Zapotec society. Muxes challenge conventional notions of gender, sexuality, and the binary system by openly embracing feminine roles and attire while being fully integrated into the Zapotec community. Despite their distinct gender identity, Muxes do not conform to Western gay/straight binaries in their choice of sexual partners. Each Muxe selects their own pronouns, reflecting the community’s view that being Muxe is not a choice but an inherent aspect of identity.

Sources: 

~Lady Aisha bint Allan (they/them)

June 5- The Sacred Band of Thebes

There are few bonds stronger than those formed in battle amongst brothers in arms, to raise one’s shield to not only protect oneself but also the soldier standing at their side. It was the Spartans who said “This is my shield. I bear it before me into battle, but it is not mine alone. It protects my brother on my left. It protects my city. I will never let my brother out of its shadow, nor my city out of its shelter. I will die with my shield before me facing the enemy.” 

However, there is one bond that is said to be stronger than those between brothers in arms: the bond between two lovers that binds them to their souls. At least, this is what was believed by Gorgidas who created an elite fighting unit of Ancient Greece known as the Sacred Band of Thebes. As Plato stated in Symposium, ”And if there were only some way of contriving that a state or an army should be made up of lovers and their beloved, they would be the very best governors of their own city, abstaining from all dishonour, and emulating one another in honour; and when fighting at each other’s side, although a mere handful, they would overcome the world. For what lover would not choose rather to be seen by all mankind than by his beloved, either when abandoning his post or throwing away his arms? He would be ready to die a thousand deaths rather than endure this. Or who would desert his beloved or fail him in the hour of danger?”

This unit was composed of 150 pairs of male lovers, consisting of an older soldier known as “erastes” (meaning lover) who would have been around 30 years old or older and a younger “eromenes” (meaning beloved) who was about 20 years old and beginning their military career. The older would serve as a mentor and teacher to their younger companion, teaching them in not only combat but also philosophy, poetry, politics, and dance. The sanctity of the bond was said to be based on the fact that both swore their oaths at the shrine of Iolaus, the male lover of Heracles. Stories from Greek mythology are filled with stories of pairs of lovers such as these including Heracles and Iolaus, Achilles and Patroclus, and many others. These couples were said to have fought in the name of Eros, son of Aphrodite and god of love. While it was not unusual in Ancient Greece for two soldiers to become lovers, this unit comprised entirely of couples was something not seen before.

The Sacred Band acted as a primary attack unit in the 4th century BCE and was so strong that it was considered to be the driving force in ending Spartan dominance. In 378 BCE, King Agesilaus II of Sparta sent his armies to Boetia but was pushed back by the Band with the Athenians as allies. At the battle of Tegyra, the Band plus a unit of 200 calvary stood against 1,000-1,800 Spartan hoplites and were able to defeat them with minimal casualties. According to Plutarch, “This battle first taught the other Greeks also that it was not the Eurotas, nor the region between Babyce and Cnacion [Sparta] which alone produced warlike fighting men, but that wheresoever young men are prone to be ashamed of baseness and courageous in a noble cause, shunning disgrace more than danger, these are most formidable to their foes.” 

While this was not the only battle that the Sacred Band went on to win, this marked one of their greatest military achievements until their destruction at the hands of Phillip II of Macedon in 338 BCE who sent an army of over 30,000 led by his son, Alexander, to destroy Thebes and their allies. When the mass grave of The Sacred Band of Thebes was discovered in the 19th century, it became very apparent that full annihilation of the unit was the goal and yet several pairs of corpses remained with arms linked together, even in death.

Sources:

  • Crompton, Louis. Homosexuality and Civilization. Harvard University Press, 2003.
  • DeVoto, James G. “The Theban Sacred Band.” The Ancient World 23, 2021, pp. 3-19.
  • Flynn, James. “Lovers and Soldiers.” Humanities: The Magazine of the National Endowment for the Humanities, 22 June 2021, https://www.neh.gov/article/lovers-and-soldiers
  • -Plato. Symposium. Translated by Benjamin Jowett, 1939.

~Don Ciaran ua Meic Thire (he/him)

June 4- The Bitten Peach

The original EK Pride Project highlighted the story of “The Cut Sleeve,” one of the most notable tales of queer love from China during the medieval period. The other tale is “The Bitten Peach.” Though time has mixed truth and fantasy, the romance of the life of Duke Ling of Wei and his lover Mizi Xia has made its mark on history. 

Duke Ling of Wei was born to Duke Xiang and his favorite concubine around 543 BCE. Though he was the second son of Duke Xiang, oracles of powerful houses were consulted after his father’s passing and it was decided that Yuan, the name he was given at birth, would be Duke. His life as Duke was filled with 42 years of turmoil. In 522, he was forced to flee the city of Siniao due to rebellion caused by his older brother’s mistreatment of royal advisors. By his own admission, he was not a very good ruler. His wife, Lady Nanzi, handled government affairs with his blessing. No matter his affections for his wife, his dedication was to his lover, though it became a cautionary tale in the end.

Not much is known about his lover, Mizi Xia, beyond his appearance in the writing of Han Fei. Mizi Xia was described as being beautiful. It is this beauty that is rumored to have been the start of the relationship between him and Duke Ling.

The bitten peach is the most romanticized of Duke Ling’s interactions with Mizi Xia. One day while strolling through the orchard, Mizi Xia bit into a peach and after tasting how good it was he offered the bitten peach to his lover. According to the “Passions of the Cut Sleeve,” Duke Ling exclaimed, “How sincere is your love for me! … You forgot your own appetite and think only of giving me good things to eat!” 

Their love was documented as crossing the boundary of their stations. In one instance, Mizi Xia learned his mother was ill and immediately stole one of the royal carriages by forging the Duke’s permission. Upon learning of the theft, Duke Ling could only praise the dedication of Mizi Xia to his family and determined that there would be no punishment. If another person, no matter their station, had done the same, history says that they would have had their feet removed. 

Unfortunately, their love was not meant to last. As Mizi Xia aged and he was no longer in Duke Ling’s favor, he was accused of committing an unspecified crime. Duke Ling was quoted as saying “”After all, he once stole my carriage, and another time he gave me a half-eaten peach to eat!” Nothing is known of what happened to Mizi Xia after he was cast out. The Duke died while still in power and was succeeded by his grandson.

Through the writings of Han Fei, the phrases ‘bitten peach’ and ‘Mizi Xia’ became synonymous with homosexuality in Ancient China.

Sources:

~Lady Bak Nabiya (she/her)

June 3- Julie d’Aubigny

Julie d’Aubigny, famously known as La Maupin, lived a remarkable and controversial life during late 17th and early 18th century France. Born around 1670 in Paris, she was raised by her father, Gaston, who passed on his swordsmanship skills along with his drinking and gambling vices. She received an education typically reserved for boys of the time, excelling in academic subjects and fencing, becoming known as one of the best fencers of her time. Starting her career as a singer at Marseille Opéra, Julie’s talent on stage garnered admiration, but her personal life was equally dramatic. When she fell in love with a young woman whose family sent her to a convent to avoid their  relationship, Julie followed her lover to the convent, and together they escaped in a daring plot involving a staged fire and a deceased nun’s body.

After returning to Paris, Julie’s career soared to new heights as she became a member of the prestigious Opéra. However, her unconventional behavior offstage often drew as much attention as her performances. She scandalized Parisian society by attending a court ball in men’s attire and engaging in a duel with three noblemen who were vying for the attention of a woman she kissed. Remarkably, she emerged victorious in all three duels, cementing her reputation as a formidable swordswoman. Despite her tumultuous personal life, Julie’s talent as an opera singer was undeniable. She collaborated with leading composers of her time, bringing roles to life with her unparalleled vocal range and dramatic flair. Her contributions to French opera were significant, pioneering new vocal techniques and captivating audiences with her performances.

Julie navigated relationships with both men and women in her lifetime, including a passionate liaison with Madame la Marquise de Florensac, renowned for her beauty and influence. Their love affair, characterized by passion and scandal, epitomized the complexities of romantic relationships of that era. Eventually, Julie’s audacious behavior eventually led to her downfall. Her scandals and controversies overshadowed her artistic achievements, prompting her to retreat from the limelight. Yet, her legacy endures as a symbol of defiance against societal norms, challenging gender roles and sexual identity in an era marked by rigid conventions. Her legacy as a bisexual, cross-dressing swordswoman and talented opera singer continues to captivate audiences, reflecting the complexities of gender roles and sexual identity in 17th-century France.

Sources:

~ Lady Aisha bint Allan (they/them)

June 2- Gaius Julius Caesar

When one hears the name Gaius Julius Caesar, they likely think of his assassination in 44 BCE when 60 Roman senators stabbed him 23 times. Maybe they think of his accomplishments as a general in the Gallic Wars and his famous quote “Veni, vidi, vici.” Today, Caesar is viewed as a middle-aged man with a bald spot, known for his sternness and cunning, but the Caesar of Ancient Rome was very different. When he was younger, Caesar was seen as very pretty, dressing in more effeminate clothing, often playing with his hair, traits that his political opponents claimed made him ill-suited for politics. Curio, one of Caesar’s political opponents, described him as “every woman’s man and every man’s woman,” implying that he was well liked by women and assumed a submissive role towards men.

In Rome, it was not only considered socially acceptable for men to be sexually promiscuous even when married, it was all but expected of higher-class individuals. Heterosexuality was not the standard nor were there words for hetero, homo or bisexuality as the Romans, and the Greeks before them, did not define sexual relationships by the gender of the partner but in terms of being in the “dominant” or “submissive” role. To this end, most free Roman men were expected to take both male and female lovers before they married. Caesar himself not only pursued strangers but also the wives of his political rivals. His promiscuity and lack of concern for the marital status of his partners earned him the nickname “moechus calvus,” which translates to the “bald adulterer.”

While many records regarding Caesar may have been questionable in their accuracy due to political motives and hearsay, the volume of such accounts makes it hard to believe that at least some were not true. For example, Julius Caesar spent several years from age 20 in the kingdom of Bithynia, trying to convince King Nicomedes IV to provide a fleet. He stayed well after this mission was complete and was rumored to be having a sexual relationship with the King. While Caesar denied that anything occurred between himself and Nicomedes, he was given the epithet “Queen of Bithynia” and was noted in a song by Caesar’s men following their triumph over Gaul. According to Suetonius’ biography of Julius Caesar, one line was “Gallias Caesar subegit, Nicomedes Caesarem,” or in English, “Caesar conquered Gaul, Nicomedes conquered Caesar.” Cicero, a philosopher and politician- albeit one who often openly opposed Caesar- at one point wrote “the virginity of the one sprung from Venus [Caesar, whose family was believed to be able to track their ancestry through the demigod Aeneas, son of Venus) was lost in Bithynia.” 

While rising politically, rumors circulated that Caesar adopted his nephew, Octavian (later known as Augustus) as his heir due to a sexual relationship the two shared. Once again, these could have just been rumors to slander Caesar and destroy his reputation, but the sheer quantity of them in different forms combined with the socially accepted default of bisexuality in ancient Rome lead to the understanding that Julius Caesar had both male and female partners throughout his life. This, combined with the fact that several of these stories come not from political rivals but from those who supported Caesar himself, adds to the validity of these in ways that describe his actions in neutral or positive lights.

Sources:

~Don Ciaran ua Meic Thire (he/him) 

June 1- We’re Still Here

Happy Pride, East Kingdom!

Two years ago, a team of a dozen SCAdians came together and shared their research as a way to commemorate queer people throughout history. The original “We’ve Always Been Here” project published a new post every day in the month of June, covering figures from across different time periods and cultures, making a clear and unambiguous statement that LGTBQ+ people have existed throughout human history.

To celebrate Pride month, and in honor of all the people in the queer community past and present, we’re back this year with a new series of posts from queer history every day this month. Contributors will be sharing information about people from the queer community from a wide range of times, places, and circumstances, reminding us every day that queer people were very much a part of the period we re-create in these current Middle Ages. Their lives and stories are part of our history, they deserve to be remembered, and that is exactly what we will be doing in this space for the rest of the month. We hope you join us in this journey.

~Maistresse Mariette de Bretagne (she/her)
Deputy Minister of Arts & Sciences for Education

Comments are closed.

Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: Baskerville 2 by Anders Noren.

Up ↑