Follow-up: what would have been considered perverted, who were the people that were concerned about the pervsion, and can you describe what 'non-perverted' sexual relationships would have encompassed?

Curious about Elagabalus especially. He always came of as so intensely insane to me.

Aren't most of the contemporary writings politically based? It's likely their perversions were vastly exaggerated.

Its not usually the historians trying to paint them in a bad light, its the people who report the stores to the historians that usually choose to put them in a bad light. I believe Herodotus would put disclaimers in his works stating that he writes about only what is reported to him, and it could be inaccurate.

-Caligula: Many of the stories are truthful, as there are many more reputable sources that write about him (and most are consistent). This can also be backed up by the physical proof of the scale of his grandeur (Lake Nemi Ships)

Edit: We don't know for sure if he had an incestuous relationship with his sister Drusilla, but he sure made it hard for anyone to believe otherwise. When you declare someone a goddess and erect statues of them, it raises some questions and im sure some of the conclusions came to "well obviously he was sleeping with her"

-Elagabalus: Some stories are undoubtedly true, and the fact that his desire to become a woman becoming public knowledge very early on in his reign could have been the reason his reputation is as perverted as it is. Rumors spread like wildfire when you have a young messed up emperor.

But I seriously doubt the people or the senate would tolerate Elagabalus "prostituting himself in front of a brothel".

-Carinus: I love Roman history, but this is the first time ive heard of this guy.