this post was submitted on 31 Jul 2025
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[–] PugJesus@lemmy.world 8 points 2 days ago

Explanation: The Populare (reformist) politician of the Late Roman Republic Publius Clodius Pulcher was proof that not all allies are worth having. Pulcher had no loyalties other than whoever benefitted him on a given day, being both ally and enemy of nearly every major figure of the Late Republic (except Cicero, whom he just hated).

He managed to crossdress and violate a women's religious ceremony, giving the excuse after being caught and prosecuted, that he thought it might be an exciting lesbian orgy (it was not). Caesar, notably, whose house was used to host the religious ceremony, both defended Clodius publicly, and divorced his second wife over the incident, saying, "The wife of Caesar must be above suspicion" (one presumes Caesar was not very close with his second wife).

The Tribune of the Plebs was a position normally afforded only to those of the plebeian families of Rome - Clodius Pulcher was of an old, aristocratic patrician family. So Pulcher had himself adopted by a plebeian man - one who happened to be even younger than him - thus making him, formally, of a plebeian family instead of a patrician family. Other than being scandalous and in violation of the spirit of the law, he followed it with a series of legislation that allowed him to become the head of what were effectively armed political gangs of the Late Republic, complete with intimidation of political enemies, street violence, and kidnapping.

Clodius was eventually murdered on the road by the retinue of a political opponent.