Editing Julius Caesar (section)

===Rumors of passive homosexuality===
Roman society viewed the passive role during [[Sexuality in ancient Rome|sexual activity]], regardless of gender, to be a sign of submission or inferiority. Indeed, Suetonius says that in Caesar's Gallic triumph, his soldiers sang that, "Caesar may have conquered the Gauls, but Nicomedes conquered Caesar."<ref name="Suet.1.49">{{harvnb|Suet. ''Iul.''|loc=49}}.</ref> According to Cicero, [[Marcus Calpurnius Bibulus|Bibulus]], [[Gaius Memmius (praetor 58 BC)|Gaius Memmius]], and others – mainly Caesar's enemies – he had an affair with [[Nicomedes IV of Bithynia]] early in his career. The stories were repeated, referring to Caesar as the "[[Queen of Bithynia]]", by some Roman politicians as a way to humiliate him. Caesar himself denied the accusations repeatedly throughout his lifetime, and according to [[Cassius Dio]], even under oath on one occasion.<ref name="Suet.1.2">{{harvnb|Suet. ''Iul.''|loc=49}}; {{harvnb|Dio|loc=43.20}}.</ref> This form of slander was popular during this time in the Roman Republic to demean and discredit political opponents.

[[Catullus]] wrote a poem suggesting that Caesar and his engineer [[Mamurra]] were lovers,<ref>[[Catullus]], ''Carmina'' [http://www.vroma.org/~hwalker/VRomaCatullus/029x.html 29] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080420062543/http://www.vroma.org/~hwalker/VRomaCatullus/029x.html |date=20 April 2008}}, [http://www.vroma.org/~hwalker/VRomaCatullus/057x.html 57] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080304045130/http://www.vroma.org/~hwalker/VRomaCatullus/057x.html |date=4 March 2008}}</ref> but later apologised.{{sfn|Suet. ''Iul.''|loc=73}}

[[Mark Antony]] charged that Octavian had earned his adoption by Caesar through sexual favours. Suetonius described Antony's accusation of an affair with Octavian as political [[slander]]. Octavian eventually became the first Roman Emperor as Augustus.<ref name="Suet.2.68">{{harvnb|Suet. ''Aug.''|loc=68, 71}}.</ref>