Gay Rights are Civil Rights: Ancient Cultures Supported Homosexuals, Why Don't We?

The world lies at his feet, blood of enemies soaks his cloths and sword, the mere mention of his name invokes fear and awe. This man is known as Alexander the Great, and he conquered the known world. He was also noted, as much as any ancient person can be noted nowadays, as being bi-sexual. He was said to have a strong attachment to Hephaestion, a long time friend of Alexanders. Now, it should be noted that in ancient Greece and most surrounding areas, there was no true stigma attached to sexual relations with the same sex. Infact, the words for homosexuality didn’t even exist, it was just simply sex whether it be between opposite or same sex. There have been a few stigmas attached to those who acted passivly during male homosexual encounters, but this was only because it was said that they were playing a ‘woman’s’ role in the endevor. Unfortunatly male shovanism did exist in ancient times, even if homophobia did not. Alexander was said to have a few more male lovers, particularly a young eunuch named Bagoas. 

Bagoas being a eunuch, a castrated servant, does seem relevant to the ancient mind set. If he had no genetalia than he was more womanly than most other men. It is written that Bagoas was so beautiful a man that he was cheered on to kiss Alexander during a festival during their return from India. This incident was reported by two different ancients, Plutarch and Dicaearchus. So, the world’s strongest conquerer supports homosexuality, why can’t we? Alexander is far from an anomly among ancient rulers mind you, let us step into our time machine again and go forward, to meet another well known conquerer from ancient lands. Julius Caesar is one of the world’s most well known millitary leaders, and his efficiancy as a general is still admired by many around the world. 

He modeled his millitary career directly from the exploits of Alexander the great. It seems he may also of modeled a bit of his personal life after the great conquerer. One citation of Caesar’s homosexual relations was Nicomedes, king of Gaul. It was a relationship that would come to haunt Caesar later. As discussed earlier, male homosexuality was not seen as bad at all by ancients, but as with Greece, Rome did have stigma against playing the passive role during sex. It was a common chant, and taunt, by conquered Gauls that ‘Caesar may have conquered the Gauls, but Nicomedes conquered Caesar. This has been debated to have been possible slander against Caesar, but was also upheld strongly by many ancient scholars of the time. Another citation of homosexuality, was made by Marc Anthony, one of Caesers closest friends and advisors, that Octavian was adopted by Caesar in return for sexual favors. What would Anthony have to gain of such a citation if it were not true? Caesar was not the only roman emperor to have male lovers, it was written by Edward Gibbon in 1776 that of the first twelve emperors, only Cladius did not have a male lover or two. Again, we find that ancients were a bit more enlightened than we are, I hope this may soon change.