The Imperial Villa, Isle of Capri, AD 26
It is said of Tiberius that he never wanted to be Rome's second emperor. Whether or not that is true, Tiberius apparently grew tired of the affairs of state and left Rome for retirement on the Isle of Capri near Naples in AD26. He left the running of the state to his secretaries and his trusted Praetorian, Sejanus.
Was Tiberius the tyrant that many made him out to be? I guess my answer to that question- for what it is worth - is both yes and no and lies in the middle-ground. Certainly, Tiberius, a member of the Claudian-Julian clan was more of what, in today's political terminology, could be classed as a 'man of the ordinary people' and anti-establishment. This most likely reflected his Claudian sympathies which were more progressive and republican. He had little regard for Rome's senators and ruling class who he persecuted and many were executed in the Senate treason trials at the instigation of an ambitious Sejanus and his cronies. Eventually, Sejanus was also tried and executed for treason on the orders of Tiberius
Undoubtedly, life was difficult and fraught with danger for Rome's ruling elite. However, for the ordinary man in the provinces, life under Tiberius was mainly peaceful and prosperous. Why then does Tiberius have a 'bad image'? What we mostly know about Tiberius is from the writings of Suetonius and other writers who, as members of the elite, no doubt had a vested interest in painting as black a picture of the emperor as possible.
Suetonius tells us that Tiberius lived a debauched and licentious lifestyle on Capri surrounded by young slaves who existed for the 'pleasures of the flesh'. Reports also indicate that Tiberius was a sadist who enjoyed inflicting pain on his slaves and other unfortunate victims. It is recorded that one of Tiberius's favourite tortures was to tightly tie a cord around a victim's penis thus preventing him from urinating. To add to the victim's suffering, the unfortunate victim was made to consume large quantities of wine
Tiberius kept a large harem of young, male slaves who he used for his perverted sexual pleasures. Apparently, he was also a voyeur who liked to watch as his slaves indulged in all manner of sex. It is said he was the originator of a sex position known as ' sprintrie' which involved three slaves sexually engaging with one another.
It is recorded that Rome's elite was horrified by the emperor's excesses and strongly disapproved.
Certainly, the Emperor Tiberius engages our fascination and we are all familiar with his infamous lifestyle. The above picture captures how it might have been for one of the emperor's slaves living on Capri.
Although, in fact, the slaves don't appear to be too unhappy with their lot as Tiberius's 'pets'.
Artwork by MADAHV whose work I have always admired. He has an evocative style all of his own which captures his subject matter beautifully as can be seen in this post; the text is mine
Ave,
ReplyDeleteThe artwork you post of the Emperor viewing the mayhem of men and young males is by the artist MADAHV. It was created aroung 2013-14 for a tumblr.com site now closed.
Hi MADAHV, thank you for clarifying the origin of this work which really inspired me. I apologise for not recognising it as one of your works and I have now acknowledged it as such in the post. I am very familiar with your works and I do remember your tumblr blog which I visited. In fact, I think I was one of your followers.
ReplyDeleteThis work genuinely aroused my writer's interest and suggested the comments I made about Tiberius.
The purpose of my blog is to express my own erotic fantasies and to promote the art of artists such as yourself, Baron, Amalaric, Bazz, etc. The list is long and I hope that you aren't offended by my use of your work. If you prefer for your art not to be associated with my writing, please let me know and I will happily remove it.
Do you, by any chance, post your work anywhere so that I may follow it?
Best wishes and kind regards,
Jean-Christophe
bonjour, I'm pleased to have you augment my work. Currently I post my work on deviant-art as madahvmex, please help yourself, anxious to see . cheers, madahv
DeleteThank you, Madahv for your gracious offer. I look forward to using your art from time to time and adding my interpretation to it.
ReplyDeleteKind regards
Chris
First of all, allow me to express also my congratulations to Madahv for his beautiful works.
ReplyDeleteAnd also allow me to once again congratulate you, Chris, for your uncommon historical culture and the way in which you are able to expose, in such a clear and masterly way, your historical knowledge.
What you say about Emperor Tiberius and the “infamous” way in which the last part of his life was described by Roman historians, especially Suetonius …… saying the truth or slandering him, who knows ? …….. is totally correct.
Certainly, as you rightly notice, all of these historians belonged to the Senatorial class who had many reasons for being political enemies of Tiberius; and this fact, combined with that other fact that, on the contrary, in his young life Tiberius was always highly praised as almost a hero and as almost the “prototype” of the virtuous and very respectable Roman citizen and soldiers, raises a lot of doubts about the sincerity of such accusations.
This doesn’t mean that Tiberius must have probably been a sadist and an “old pervert” who “refueled ” his declining (with age) sexual potency with sexual perversions with very young slaves.
But how can be accepted such “accusations” from a people that (like ancient Romans) were commonly using sadism as an “entertainment” in their public arenas and even in their banquets ?! …… with tortures inflicted on slaves that were often much more barbaric than “simply” tightly tying a cord around the slave’s penis thus preventing him from urinating and forcing him to drink; or (another bizarre torture liked by Tiberius) wounding a slave’s face by rubbing on his face the scaled skin of a big fish !
Should we recall Vedius Pollio, one of the most honoured and respected courtiers of Emperor Augustus, whose most preferred “amusement” , during his banquets, was to watch one of his slaves slowly immersed into a pool, filled with voracious fishes and see his slave slowly eaten alive by the hungry fishes ?
Or, about “sexual excesses” should we recall what Seneca narrates about the infamous sexual obscenities that commonly happened, during and after banquets in rich houses, with very young male slaves, obliged to suffer often disgusting sexual perversions by their Master and his dining guests ?
I have the impression that what Suetonius and the other “defamers” of Tiberius blame in this Emperor is not so much the “sadism vs. slaves” or the “sexual use of young male slaves”, facts that were both extremely common in Rome and somehow “socially accepted”.
I have the impression that what Suetonius and the other political enemies of Tiberius try to suggest to their readers (ancient Roman readers, to notice !) is the fact that in these fields the behavior of Tiberius was “psychologically sick” ……. trying to confirm the hypothesis of an Emperor who, in his last years, was psychically “bizarre” and somehow insane ! ……. the same theory that the same historians have built also for other Claudian Emperors like Nero and Caligula and that many modern historians have partially denied.
Actually neither Suetonius nor the other rich Roman noblemen who wrote against Tiberius cared of tortures inflicted on slaves ……. or of sexual perversion committed even on very young male slaves !
Karel
Than you very much Master Karelius and Chris for these historical description. I cant help thinking of the movie Caligula by Tinto Bras with Andy Mac Dowell as Caligula. At the beginning there is a scene with Tiberius fishes : very beautifull teenaged slaves (though mature of age) that made me wish either to be invited by the Emperor or being one of them myself...
ReplyDeleteSlave enak (enak@gmx.fr)
Enak, that movie includes more than one scenes inspired to real historical episodes.
DeleteBesides the “Tiberius fishes”, another of such scenes, based on real events and behaviours, is e.g. the scene where the lewd Lady Ennia is showed while is laying on a massage bed
The massage bed of the Roman Lady is surrounded by ten young and muscular nude male slaves who are stark naked and massively endowed.
The male slaves of Ennia have their cocks hard and erected and very slowly masturbate.
When their Mistress indicates one of them, the chosen slave hastens very much the masturbation of his cock and when the slave ejaculates, his sperm is collected in small silver bowls by maids of Ennia for being used as a “BEAUTY CREAM” in massaging the body of the Roman Lady.
The use human male semen …….. of course “extracted” forcibly from young male slaves ! …….. as a “Beauty Cream” for middle aged rich Roman Ladies, or as “rejuvenating and tonic medicament” for e.g. old and weak Lords, is real and historically documented by various Latin Authors.
Karel
Master, it seems so convenient and profitable to use any animal product. And it may be the only time where these young animals are allowed to cum so they learnt to relish that moment though humiliating it may be.
ReplyDeleteslave énak (enak@gmx.fr)