Sex in Cassius Dio's Roman History: Portraying the Malus Princeps

Abstract

Cassius Dio, a 3rd century A.D. Roman historian, constructed a nine-volume history from the founding of Rome to the last emperor he lived to see, Severus Alexander (A.D. 222-A.D. 235). His account is remarkable in that he lends his skills as a historian, but also as a rhetorician, to construct the lives of every emperor until his death by including very detailed depictions of their lives. Dio interjects his views on each ruler, combined with the traditions found throughout the Roman historiography that preceded him, to make a compelling narrative on what makes a good and bad ruler. This thesis focuses on the bad rulers and a central theme present in bad rulership: sexual deviancy (or sexual misconduct). This thesis details the normal and non-normative sexual standards or practices that the elites of Roman society engaged in, commenting on acceptable practices and intolerable actions to construct a foundation by which the ancient audience could gauge the legitimacy or ability of an emperor. I examine how Cassius Dio described the sexual behaviors of the ruler, what they meant to the Roman elite, and why an emperor’s sex life is relevant to his reign. The Julio-Claudians and Elagabalus are sampled for discussion and are used to explain why sexual deviancy is a powerful piece of rhetoric used in condemning a bad reign. For the Romans, sex is one measure by which an emperor can be praised for his continence or criticized due to his excessive or peculiar practices.