Timeline Of LGBTQ History
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The following is the timeline of
lesbian A lesbian is a homosexual woman or girl. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate nouns with female homosexu ...
,
gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late ...
,
bisexual Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior toward both males and females. It may also be defined as the attraction to more than one gender, to people of both the same and different gender, or the attraction t ...
,
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
, and
queer ''Queer'' is an umbrella term for people who are non-heterosexual or non- cisgender. Originally meaning or , ''queer'' came to be used pejoratively against LGBTQ people in the late 19th century. From the late 1980s, queer activists began to ...
(LGBTQ) people's history.


Before the Common Era


9th millennium BCE – 3rd millennium BCE


101st century BCE – 50th century BCE

* 9,600 BCE – c, 5,000 BCE –
Mesolithic The Mesolithic (Ancient Greek language, Greek: μέσος, ''mesos'' 'middle' + λίθος, ''lithos'' 'stone') or Middle Stone Age is the Old World archaeological period between the Upper Paleolithic and the Neolithic. The term Epipaleolithic i ...
rock art In archaeology, rock arts are human-made markings placed on natural surfaces, typically vertical stone surfaces. A high proportion of surviving historic and prehistoric rock art is found in caves or partly enclosed rock shelters; this type al ...
in the Grotta dell'Addaura in
Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...
depicts male figures in hives that have been interpreted variously, including as hunters, acrobats, religious initiates, and gay sex.


70th century BCE – 17th century BCE

* c. 7,000 BCE –1700 BCE – Among the sexual depictions in
Neolithic The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...
and
Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...
drawings and figurines from the Mediterranean area, as one author describes it, a "
third sex Third gender or third sex is an identity recognizing individuals categorized, either by themselves or by society, as neither a man nor a woman. Many gender systems around the world include three or more genders, deriving the concept either from ...
" human figure having female breasts and male genitals or without distinguishing sex characteristics. In Neolithic
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
, female images are found in a domestic context, while images that combine sexual characteristics appear in burials or religious settings. In Neolithic
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
and
Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...
, figures are often dual-sexed or without identifying sexual characteristics.


3rd millennium BCE


29th century BCE – 25th century BCE

* c. 2900 BCE – c. 2500 BCE – A burial of a suburb of
Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
, Czech Republic, a male is buried in the outfit usually reserved for women. Archaeologists speculate that the burial corresponds to a
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
person or someone of the third sex.


24th century BCE

* c. 2400 BCE –
Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum Khnumhotep () and Niankhkhnum () were two male ancient Egyptian royal servants. The men shared the title of Overseer of the Manicurists in the Palace of King Nyuserre Ini, sixth pharaoh of the Fifth Dynasty, reigning during the second half of t ...
are believed by some observers to be the first same-sex couple in
recorded history Recorded history or written history describes the historical events that have been recorded in a written form or other documented communication which are subsequently evaluated by historians using the historical method. For broader world h ...
, though others argue that they were brothers.


23rd century BCE or 23rd century BCE – 22nd century BCE

* 2284 BCE – 2246 BCE or 2184 BCE –
Pepi II Neferkare Pepi II Neferkare ( 2284 BC – 2214 BC) was a king of the Sixth Dynasty in Egypt's Old Kingdom. His second name, Neferkare (''Nefer-ka-Re''), means "Beautiful is the Ka of Re". He succeeded to the throne at age six, after the death of Nemty ...
, who ruled the
Kingdom of Egypt The Kingdom of Egypt () was the legal form of the Egyptian state during the latter period of the Muhammad Ali dynasty's reign, from the United Kingdom's recognition of Egyptian independence in 1922 until the abolition of the monarchy of Eg ...
as an absolute monarch under the title of Pharaoh of Egypt, is believed to have had a homosexual interpretation around nocturnal visits to his General Sasenet, though others argue that it was more likely that the story was intended to tarnish the reputation of the Pharaoh by associating him with homosexuality.


2nd millennium BCE


18th century BCE

* c. 1775 BCE – c. 1761 BCE – During the reign of King
Zimri-Lim __NOTOC__ Zimri-Lim was in the Middle Bronze Age the king of Mari, Syria, Mari (c. 1767–1752 BCE; low chronology). Background Family Zimri-Lim (Akkadian language, Akkadian: ''Zi-im-ri Li-im'') was the son or grandson of king Yahdun-Lim of Ma ...
of the Kingdom of Mari, he is recorded to have male lovers.


15th century BCE – 12th century BCE

* c. 1500 BCE – c. 1101 BCE – The Code of Assura from either the
Old Assyrian Empire The Old Assyrian period was the second stage of Assyrian history, covering the history of the city of Assur from its rise as an independent city-state under Puzur-Ashur I 2025 BC to the foundation of a larger Assyrian territorial state after th ...
or the
Middle Assyrian Empire The Middle Assyrian Empire was the third stage of Assyrian history, covering the history of Assyria from the accession of Ashur-uballit I 1363 BC and the rise of Assyria as a territorial kingdom to the death of Ashur-dan II in 912 BC. ...
prescribes the following on
male rape Some victims of rape or other sexual violence incidents are male. Historically, rape was thought to be, and defined as, a crime committed solely against females. This belief is still held in some parts of the world, but rape of males is now com ...
:Homoeroticism in the Biblical World: A Historical Perspective, by Martti Nissinen, Fortress Press, 2004
p. 24–28
/ref>


1st millennium BCE


10th century BCE – 6th century BCE

* c. 1000 BCE – c. 500 BCE – The
Vendidad The Vendidad /ˈvendi'dæd/, also known as Videvdat, Videvdad or Juddēvdād, is a collection of texts within the greater compendium of the Avesta. However, unlike the other texts of the Avesta, the ''Vendidad'' is an ecclesiastical code, not a ...
dates from this period and within the text it states the following: The guilty may be killed by any one, without an order from the
Dastur A dastur ( ), sometimes spelt dustoor, is a term for a Zoroastrian high priest who has authority in religious matters and ranks higher than a mobad or herbad. In this specific sense, the term is used mostly among the Parsis of India. The term has ...
, and by this execution an ordinary capital crime may be redeemed.


7th century BCE

* c. 700 BCE – The custom of castrating homosexual (and straight) slaves and house servants is introduced into
Anshan Anshan ( zh, s=鞍山, p=Ānshān, l=saddle mountain) is an inland prefecture-level city in central-southeast Liaoning province, People's Republic of China, about south of the provincial capital Shenyang. As of the 2020 census, it was Liaoning' ...
from conquered territories of the
Neo-Assyrian Empire The Neo-Assyrian Empire was the fourth and penultimate stage of ancient Assyrian history. Beginning with the accession of Adad-nirari II in 911 BC, the Neo-Assyrian Empire grew to dominate the ancient Near East and parts of South Caucasus, Nort ...
and the
Median Empire Media ( Old Persian: ''Māda''; Greek: ''Mēdía''; Akkadian: '' Mādāya'') was a political entity centered in Ecbatana that existed from the 7th century BCE until the mid-6th century BCE and is believed to have dominated a significant por ...
. * c. 630 BCE – Dorian aristocrats in
Crete Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...
adopt formal relations between adult aristocrats and adolescent boys; an inscription from Crete is the oldest record of the social institution of ''paiderastia'' among the Greeks (see Cretan pederasty). Marriage between men in Greece was not legally recognized, but men might form lifelong relationships originating in ''paiderastia'' ("pederasty," without the pejorative connotations of the English word). These partnerships were not dissimilar to heterosexual marriages except that the older person served as educator or mentor. *
Sappho Sappho (; ''Sapphṓ'' ; Aeolic Greek ''Psápphō''; ) was an Ancient Greek poet from Eresos or Mytilene on the island of Lesbos. Sappho is known for her lyric poetry, written to be sung while accompanied by music. In ancient times, Sapph ...
, a Greek lyric poet born on the island of
Lesbos Lesbos or Lesvos ( ) is a Greek island located in the northeastern Aegean Sea. It has an area of , with approximately of coastline, making it the third largest island in Greece and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, eighth largest ...
, was born between 630 and 612 BCE, and died around 570 BCE. The Alexandrians included her in the list of nine lyric poets. She was famous for her lesbian themes, giving her name and that of her homeland to the very definition of
lesbianism A lesbian is a homosexual woman or girl. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate nouns with female homo ...
(and the lesser used term of "sapphism"). She was exiled c. 600 BCE unrelated to lesbianism. She was later permitted to return.


6th century BCE

* 534 – 492 BCE – Duke Ling of Wey and Mizi Xia had a loving same-sex relationship, where various plays and stories have commemorated their love story in the phrase, "the bitten peach". * c. 540 – 530 BCE – Wall paintings from the
Etruscan __NOTOC__ Etruscan may refer to: Ancient civilization *Etruscan civilization (1st millennium BC) and related things: **Etruscan language ** Etruscan architecture **Etruscan art **Etruscan cities **Etruscan coins **Etruscan history **Etruscan myt ...
Tomb of the Bulls The Tomb of the Bulls () is an Etruscan civilization, Etruscan tomb in the Necropolis of Monterozzi near Tarquinia, Lazio, Italy. It was discovered in 1892 and has been dated back to either 540–530 BC or 530–520 BC. According to an ...
(Italian: ''Tomba dei Tori''), found in 1892 in the Monterozzi
necropolis A necropolis (: necropolises, necropoles, necropoleis, necropoli) is a large, designed cemetery with elaborate tomb monuments. The name stems from the Ancient Greek ''nekropolis'' (). The term usually implies a separate burial site at a distan ...
,
Tarquinia Tarquinia (), formerly Corneto, is an old city in the province of Viterbo, Lazio, Central Italy, known chiefly for its ancient Etruscans, Etruscan tombs in the widespread necropolis, necropoleis, or cemeteries. Tarquinia was designated as a ...
, depict homosexual intercourse. The tomb is named for the pair of bulls who watch human sex scenes, one between a man and a woman, and the other between two men; these may be
apotropaic Apotropaic magic (From ) or protective magic is a type of magic intended to turn away harm or evil influences, as in deflecting misfortune or averting the evil eye. Apotropaic observances may also be practiced out of superstition or out of tr ...
, or embody aspects of the cycle of regeneration and the afterlife. The three-chamber tomb was inscribed with the name of the deceased for whom it was originally built, Aranth Spurianas or Arath Spuriana, and also depicts
Achilles In Greek mythology, Achilles ( ) or Achilleus () was a hero of the Trojan War who was known as being the greatest of all the Greek warriors. The central character in Homer's ''Iliad'', he was the son of the Nereids, Nereid Thetis and Peleus, ...
killing the
Trojan Trojan or Trojans may refer to: * Of or from the ancient city of Troy * Trojan language, the language of the historical Trojans Arts and entertainment Music * '' Les Troyens'' ('The Trojans'), an opera by Berlioz, premiered part 1863, part 18 ...
prince
Troilus Troilus ( or ; ; ) is a legendary character associated with the story of the Trojan War. The first surviving reference to him is in Homer's ''Iliad,'' composed in the late 8th century BC. In Greek mythology, Troilus is a young Troy, Trojan prin ...
, along with indications of
Apollo Apollo is one of the Twelve Olympians, Olympian deities in Ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek and Ancient Roman religion, Roman religion and Greek mythology, Greek and Roman mythology. Apollo has been recognized as a god of archery, mu ...
cult. * 521 BCE – The
Achaemenid Empire The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenian Empire, also known as the Persian Empire or First Persian Empire (; , , ), was an Iranian peoples, Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great of the Achaemenid dynasty in 550 BC. Based in modern-day Iran, i ...
crucifies
Polycrates Polycrates (; ), son of Aeaces (father of Polycrates), Aeaces, was the tyrant of Samos from the 540s BC to 522 BC. He had a reputation as both a fierce warrior and an enlightened tyrant. Sources The main source for Polycrates' life and activi ...
and suppresses pederasty in
Samos Samos (, also ; , ) is a Greek island in the eastern Aegean Sea, south of Chios, north of Patmos and the Dodecanese archipelago, and off the coast of western Turkey, from which it is separated by the Mycale Strait. It is also a separate reg ...
, which causes pederastic poets
Ibycus Ibycus (; ; ) was an Greek lyric, Ancient Greek lyric poet, a citizen of Rhegium in Magna Graecia, probably active at Samos during the reign of the tyrant Polycrates and numbered by the scholars of Hellenistic Alexandria in the canon (fiction), ca ...
and
Anacreon Anacreon ( BC) was an Ancient Greek lyric poet, notable for his drinking songs and erotic poems. Later Greeks included him in the canonical list of Nine Lyric Poets. Anacreon wrote all of his poetry in the ancient Ionic dialect. Like all early ...
to flee Samos.


5th century BCE

* c. 486 BCE –
King King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...
Darius I Darius I ( ; – 486 BCE), commonly known as Darius the Great, was the third King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, reigning from 522 BCE until his death in 486 BCE. He ruled the empire at its territorial peak, when it included much of West A ...
adopts the Holiness Code of Leviticus for
Persian Jews Iranian Jews, (; ) also Persian Jews ( ) or Parsim, constitute one of the oldest communities of the Jewish diaspora. Dating back to the History of ancient Israel and Judah, biblical era, they originate from the Jews who relocated to Iran (his ...
of the
Achaemenid Empire The Achaemenid Empire or Achaemenian Empire, also known as the Persian Empire or First Persian Empire (; , , ), was an Iranian peoples, Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great of the Achaemenid dynasty in 550 BC. Based in modern-day Iran, i ...
, enacting the first ever state sanctioned death penalty for male same-sex relationships. * c. 440 BCE –
Herodotus Herodotus (; BC) was a Greek historian and geographer from the Greek city of Halicarnassus (now Bodrum, Turkey), under Persian control in the 5th century BC, and a later citizen of Thurii in modern Calabria, Italy. He wrote the '' Histori ...
publishes ''
Histories Histories or, in Latin, Historiae may refer to: * the plural of history * ''Histories'' (Herodotus), by Herodotus * ''The Histories'', by Timaeus * ''The Histories'' (Polybius), by Polybius * ''Histories'' by Gaius Sallustius Crispus (Sallust) ...
'', stating in the book that
Persians Persians ( ), or the Persian people (), are an Iranian ethnic group from West Asia that came from an earlier group called the Proto-Iranians, which likely split from the Indo-Iranians in 1800 BCE from either Afghanistan or Central Asia. They ...
welcomed foreign customs, including adopting
pederasty Pederasty or paederasty () is a sexual relationship between an adult man and an adolescent boy. It was a socially acknowledged practice in Ancient Greece and Rome and elsewhere in the world, such as Pre-Meiji Japan. In most countries today, ...
from the
Greeks Greeks or Hellenes (; , ) are an ethnic group and nation native to Greece, Greek Cypriots, Cyprus, Greeks in Albania, southern Albania, Greeks in Turkey#History, Anatolia, parts of Greeks in Italy, Italy and Egyptian Greeks, Egypt, and to a l ...
.


4th century BCE

* 385 BCE – Plato publishes ''
Symposium In Ancient Greece, the symposium (, ''sympósion'', from συμπίνειν, ''sympínein'', 'to drink together') was the part of a banquet that took place after the meal, when drinking for pleasure was accompanied by music, dancing, recitals, o ...
'' in which Phaedrus,
Eryximachus Eryximachus, son of Acumenus (; Greek: Ἐρυξίμαχος Ἀκουμένου ''Eruxímachos Akouménou''; c. 448 – late 5th century or early 4th century BCE) was an ancient Athenian physician who is best remembered for his prominent role i ...
,
Aristophanes Aristophanes (; ; ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek Ancient Greek comedy, comic playwright from Classical Athens, Athens. He wrote in total forty plays, of which eleven survive virtually complete today. The majority of his surviving play ...
and other Greek intellectuals argue that love between males is the highest form, while sex with women is lustful and utilitarian.
Socrates Socrates (; ; – 399 BC) was a Ancient Greek philosophy, Greek philosopher from Classical Athens, Athens who is credited as the founder of Western philosophy and as among the first moral philosophers of the Ethics, ethical tradition ...
, however, differs. He demonstrates extreme self-control when seduced by the beautiful
Alcibiades Alcibiades (; 450–404 BC) was an Athenian statesman and general. The last of the Alcmaeonidae, he played a major role in the second half of the Peloponnesian War as a strategic advisor, military commander, and politician, but subsequently ...
. * 350 BCE – Plato publishes ''
Laws Law is a set of rules that are created and are law enforcement, enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a Socia ...
'' in which the Athenian stranger and his companions criticize homosexuality as being lustful and wrong for society because it does not further the species and may lead to irresponsible citizenry. * 346 BCE -
Aeschines Aeschines (; Greek: ; 389314 BC) was a Greek statesman and one of the ten Attic orators. Biography Although it is known he was born in Athens, the records regarding his parentage and early life are conflicting; but it seems probable that h ...
' speech
Against Timarchus "Against Timarchus" () was a speech by Aeschines accusing Timarchus of being unfit to involve himself in public life. The case was brought about in 346–345 BC, in response to Timarchus, along with Demosthenes, bringing a suit against Aeschines, a ...
, who was on trial for male prostitution, reveals Athenian attitudes to homosexuality. * 338 BCE – A thirteen year old prince Alexander III (the Great) meets a thirteen year old
Hephaestion Hephaestion ( ''Hēphaistíōn''; c. 356 BC  –  324 BC), son of Amyntor, was an ancient Macedonian nobleman of probable "Attic or Ionian extraction" and a general in the army of Alexander the Great. He was "by far the dearest ...
who would go on to be his life partner. * 338 BCE – The
Sacred Band of Thebes The Sacred Band of Thebes (Ancient Greek: , ) was an elite heavy infantry of select soldiers, allegedly consisting of 150 pairs of Homosexuality in ancient Greece, male couples which formed the elite force of the Ancient Thebes (Boeotia), Theba ...
, a previously undefeated elite battalion made up of one hundred and fifty pederastic couples, is destroyed by the forces of
Philip II of Macedon Philip II of Macedon (; 382 BC – October 336 BC) was the king (''basileus'') of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedonia from 359 BC until his death in 336 BC. He was a member of the Argead dynasty, founders of the ...
who bemoans their loss and praises their honour.


3rd or 2nd century BCE

* 227 BCE, 226 BCE, 216 BCE, or 149 BCE – During the
Roman Republic The Roman Republic ( ) was the era of Ancient Rome, classical Roman civilisation beginning with Overthrow of the Roman monarchy, the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom (traditionally dated to 509 BC) and ending in 27 BC with the establis ...
, the ''
Lex Scantinia The ''Lex Scantinia'' (less often ''Scatinia'') is a poorly documented Roman law that penalized '' stuprum'' (criminalized sexual behavior or "sex crime") against a freeborn male minor ('' ingenuus'' or '' praetextatus''). The law may also have bee ...
'' imposed penalties on those who committed a sex crime ''(
stuprum Sexual attitudes and behaviors in ancient Rome are indicated by Roman art, art, Latin literature, literature, and Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum, inscriptions, and to a lesser extent by classical archaeology, archaeological remains such as ero ...
)'' against a freeborn youth; infrequently mentioned or enforced, it may also have been used to prosecute male citizens who willingly took the passive role in homosexual relations. It is unclear whether the penalty was death or a fine. For an adult male citizen to desire and engage in same-sex relations was considered natural and socially acceptable, as long as his partner was a male
prostitute Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-pe ...
,
slave Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...
or '' infamis'', a person excluded from the legal protections accorded a citizen. In the Imperial period, the ''Lex Scantinia'' was revived by
Domitian Domitian ( ; ; 24 October 51 – 18 September 96) was Roman emperor from 81 to 96. The son of Vespasian and the younger brother of Titus, his two predecessors on the throne, he was the last member of the Flavian dynasty. Described as "a r ...
as part of his program of judicial and moral reform.


1st century BCE

* c. 90s – 80s BCE –
Quintus Lutatius Catulus Quintus Lutatius Catulus (149–87 BC) was a Roman consul, consul of the Roman Republic in 102 BC. His consular colleague was Gaius Marius. During their consulship the Cimbri and Teutons, Teutones marched south again and Cimbrian War, threatened ...
was among a circle of poets who made short, light Hellenistic poems fashionable in the
late Republic The Roman Republic ( ) was the era of Ancient Rome, classical Roman civilisation beginning with Overthrow of the Roman monarchy, the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom (traditionally dated to 509 BC) and ending in 27 BC with the establis ...
. Both his surviving
epigram An epigram is a brief, interesting, memorable, sometimes surprising or satirical statement. The word derives from the Greek (, "inscription", from [], "to write on, to inscribe"). This literary device has been practiced for over two millennia ...
s address a male as an object of desire, signaling a new homoerotic aesthetic in Roman culture. * 57 – 54 BCE –
Catullus Gaius Valerius Catullus (; ), known as Catullus (), was a Latin neoteric poet of the late Roman Republic. His surviving works remain widely read due to their popularity as teaching tools and because of their personal or sexual themes. Life ...
writes the ''Carmina'', including love poems to Juventius, boasting of sexual prowess with youth and violent invectives against "passive" homosexuals. * c. 50 BCE – The '' Lex Julia de vi publica'', a
Roman Republic The Roman Republic ( ) was the era of Ancient Rome, classical Roman civilisation beginning with Overthrow of the Roman monarchy, the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom (traditionally dated to 509 BC) and ending in 27 BC with the establis ...
law, was passed to define rape as forced sex against "boy, woman, or anyone" and the rapist was subject to execution. Men who had been raped were exempt from the loss of legal or social standing suffered by those who submitted their bodies to use for the pleasure of others; a male prostitute or entertainer was ''infamis'' and excluded from the legal protections extended to citizens in good standing. As a matter of law, a
slave Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...
could not be raped; he was considered property and not legally a person. The slave's owner, however, could prosecute the rapist for property damage. * 46 BCE – Lucius Antonius, the brother of Mark Antony, accuses Gaius Octavius for having "given himself to
Aulus Hirtius Aulus Hirtius (; – 43 BC) was consul of the Roman Republic in 43 BC and a writer on military subjects. He was killed during his consulship in battle against Mark Antony at the Battle of Mutina. Biography He was a legate of Julius Caesar's st ...
in
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
for three hundred thousand
sesterces The ''sestertius'' (: ''sestertii'') or sesterce (: sesterces) was an ancient Roman coin. During the Roman Republic it was a small, silver coin issued only on rare occasions. During the Roman Empire it was a large brass coin. The name ''sester ...
." * 44 BCE – After the
assassination Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives. Assassinations are orde ...
of
Dictator A dictator is a political leader who possesses absolute Power (social and political), power. A dictatorship is a state ruled by one dictator or by a polity. The word originated as the title of a Roman dictator elected by the Roman Senate to r ...
and
Consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states thro ...
Gaius Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war. He ...
, Gaius Octavius is publicly named in Caesar's will as his adopted son and heir. According to
Mark Antony Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman people, Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the Crisis of the Roman Republic, transformation of the Roman Republic ...
, he charged that Octavius had earned his adoption by Caesar through sexual favors.Suetonius, ''Augustus'
68
/ref> * 42 – 39 BCE –
Virgil Publius Vergilius Maro (; 15 October 70 BC21 September 19 BC), usually called Virgil or Vergil ( ) in English, was an ancient Rome, ancient Roman poet of the Augustan literature (ancient Rome), Augustan period. He composed three of the most fa ...
writes the ''
Eclogues The ''Eclogues'' (; , ), also called the ''Bucolics'', is the first of the three major works of the Latin poet Virgil. Background Taking as his generic model the Greek bucolic poetry of Theocritus, Virgil created a Roman version partly by o ...
'', with Eclogue 2 a notable example of homoerotic Latin literature. * 27 BCE – The
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...
is established under the rule of
Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...
. The first recorded same-sex marriage occurs during his reign, homosexual prostitution is taxed, and if someone is caught being sexually passive with another male, a Roman citizen could lose his citizenship. * 26, 25 and 18 BCE –
Tibullus Albius Tibullus ( BC BC) was a Latin poet and writer of elegies. His first and second books of poetry are extant; many other texts attributed to him are of questionable origins. Little is known about the life of Tibullus. There are only a few r ...
writes his elegies, with references to homosexuality. * 7 – 1 BCE –
Emperor Ai of Han Emperor Ai of Han, personal name Liu Xin (劉欣; 25 BC – 15 August 1 BC), was an emperor of China's Han dynasty. He ascended the throne when he was 20, having been made heir by his childless uncle Emperor Cheng, and he reigned from 7 to 1 BC ...
had a loving same-sex relationship with
Dong Xian Dong Xian ( 董 賢) (22 BC – 16 August 1 BC) was a Chinese Han dynasty politician who quickly rose from obscurity as a minor official to become the most powerful official in the imperial administration of Emperor Ai within a span of a fe ...
. In one historical record, Emperor Ai cut his own sleeves to not wake up his beloved Dong Xian.


Common Era


1st millennium


1st century

*
Philo of Alexandria Philo of Alexandria (; ; ; ), also called , was a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher who lived in Alexandria, in the Roman province of Egypt. The only event in Philo's life that can be decisively dated is his representation of the Alexandrian Je ...
and
Marcus Manilius Marcus Manilius () originally hailing from Syria, was a Roman poet, astrologer, and author of a poem in five books called '' Astronomica''. The ''Astronomica'' The author of ''Astronomica'' is neither quoted nor mentioned by any ancient wr ...
provided descriptions of transgender people during the early
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...
. Philo stated: "Expending every possible care on their outward adornment, they are not ashamed even to employ every device to change artificially their nature as men into women". He also attested that some members of this group, to that end, had their penises removed. * 5 –15 CE – The
Warren Cup The Warren Cup is an ancient Greco-Roman silver drinking cup decorated in relief with two images of male same-sex acts. It was purchased by the British Museum for £1.8 million in 1999, the most expensive single purchase by the museum at that ...
is made – a Roman silver drinking cup decorated in relief with two images of male same-sex acts. * 37 – 41 – Under the reign of Roman emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, taxation on prostitution is enacted throughout the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...
. Caligula also either exiled or contemplated exiling '' spintriae'' from
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
.
Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus (), commonly referred to as Suetonius ( ; – after AD 122), was a Roman historian who wrote during the early Imperial era of the Roman Empire. His most important surviving work is ''De vita Caesarum'', commonl ...
reports that Caligula could only be restrained with difficulty, after lengthy pleadings, from having the ''spintriae'' thrown into the sea. * 54 –
Nero Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ( ; born Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus; 15 December AD 37 – 9 June AD 68) was a Roman emperor and the final emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, reigning from AD 54 until his ...
becomes Emperor of Rome. Nero married two men,
Pythagoras Pythagoras of Samos (;  BC) was an ancient Ionian Greek philosopher, polymath, and the eponymous founder of Pythagoreanism. His political and religious teachings were well known in Magna Graecia and influenced the philosophies of P ...
and
Sporus Sporus (died 69 AD) was a young slave boy whom the Roman emperor Nero had castrated and married during his tour of Greece in 66–67 AD, allegedly in order for him to play the role of his wife, Poppaea Sabina, who had died under uncertain circ ...
, in legal ceremonies, with
Sporus Sporus (died 69 AD) was a young slave boy whom the Roman emperor Nero had castrated and married during his tour of Greece in 66–67 AD, allegedly in order for him to play the role of his wife, Poppaea Sabina, who had died under uncertain circ ...
accorded the regalia worn by the wives of the Caesars.
Juvenal Decimus Junius Juvenalis (), known in English as Juvenal ( ; 55–128), was a Roman poet. He is the author of the '' Satires'', a collection of satirical poems. The details of Juvenal's life are unclear, but references in his works to people f ...
and
Martial Marcus Valerius Martialis (known in English as Martial ; March, between 38 and 41 AD – between 102 and 104 AD) was a Roman and Celtiberian poet born in Bilbilis, Hispania (modern Spain) best known for his twelve books of '' Epigrams'', pu ...
note (with disapproval) that male couples are having traditional marriage ceremonies. * 79 – The eruption of
Mount Vesuvius Mount Vesuvius ( ) is a Somma volcano, somma–stratovolcano located on the Gulf of Naples in Campania, Italy, about east of Naples and a short distance from the shore. It is one of several volcanoes forming the Campanian volcanic arc. Vesuv ...
buries the coastal resorts of
Pompeii Pompeii ( ; ) was a city in what is now the municipality of Pompei, near Naples, in the Campania region of Italy. Along with Herculaneum, Stabiae, and Villa Boscoreale, many surrounding villas, the city was buried under of volcanic ash and p ...
and
Herculaneum Herculaneum is an ancient Rome, ancient Roman town located in the modern-day ''comune'' of Ercolano, Campania, Italy. Herculaneum was buried under a massive pyroclastic flow in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Like the nearby city of ...
, preserving a rich collection of Roman erotic art, including representations of male-male and female-female. * 98 –
Trajan Trajan ( ; born Marcus Ulpius Traianus, 18 September 53) was a Roman emperor from AD 98 to 117, remembered as the second of the Five Good Emperors of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. He was a philanthropic ruler and a successful soldier ...
, one of the most beloved of Roman emperors, begins his reign. Trajan was well known for his homosexuality and fondness for young males. This was used to advantage by the king of
Edessa Edessa (; ) was an ancient city (''polis'') in Upper Mesopotamia, in what is now Urfa or Şanlıurfa, Turkey. It was founded during the Hellenistic period by Macedonian general and self proclaimed king Seleucus I Nicator (), founder of the Sel ...
,
Abgar VII Abgar VII was king of Osroene from . His primary goal was to remain independent of both the major powers in the region, the Roman and the Parthian Empires. Toward this end, he supported the Roman Emperor Trajan's military campaign into Mesopotam ...
, who, after incurring the anger of Trajan for some misdeed, sent his handsome young son to make his apologies, thereby obtaining pardon. :
Publius Cornelius Tacitus Publius Cornelius Tacitus, known simply as Tacitus ( , ; – ), was a Roman historian and politician. Tacitus is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historiography, Roman historians by modern scholars. Tacitus’ two major historical ...
writes ''
Germania Germania ( ; ), also more specifically called Magna Germania (English: ''Great Germania''), Germania Libera (English: ''Free Germania''), or Germanic Barbaricum to distinguish it from the Roman provinces of Germania Inferior and Germania Superio ...
''. In ''Germania'', Tacitus writes that the punishment for those who engage in "bodily infamy" among the
Germanic peoples The Germanic peoples were tribal groups who lived in Northern Europe in Classical antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. In modern scholarship, they typically include not only the Roman-era ''Germani'' who lived in both ''Germania'' and parts of ...
is to "smother in mud and bogs under an heap of hurdles." Tacitus also writes in ''Germania'' that the Germanic warrior-chieftains and their retinues were "in times of peace, beauty, and in times of war, a defense". Tacitus later wrote in ''Germania'' that priests of the Swabian sub-tribe, the Naharvali or
Nahanarvali The Nahanarvali, also known as the Nahavali, Naha-Narvali, and Nahanavali, were a Germanic tribe mentioned by the Roman scholar Tacitus in his ''Germania''. According to Tacitus, the Nahanarvali were one of the five most powerful tribes of the Lu ...
, who "dress as women" to perform their priestly duties.


2nd century

* c. 200 – The ''Outlines of Pyrrhonism'' is published. In the book,
Sextus Empiricus Sextus Empiricus (, ; ) was a Greek Pyrrhonist philosopher and Empiric school physician with Roman citizenship. His philosophical works are the most complete surviving account of ancient Greek and Roman Pyrrhonism, and because of the argument ...
states that "amongst the
Persians Persians ( ), or the Persian people (), are an Iranian ethnic group from West Asia that came from an earlier group called the Proto-Iranians, which likely split from the Indo-Iranians in 1800 BCE from either Afghanistan or Central Asia. They ...
it is the habit to indulge in intercourse with males, but amongst the
Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
it is forbidden by law to do so". He also stated in the book that "amongst us
sodomy Sodomy (), also called buggery in British English, principally refers to either anal sex (but occasionally also oral sex) between people, or any Human sexual activity, sexual activity between a human and another animal (Zoophilia, bestiality). I ...
is regarded as shameful or rather illegal, but by the Germanic they say, it is not looked on as shameful but as a customary thing. It is said, too, that in Thebes long ago this practice was not held to be shameful, and they say that Meriones the
Cretan Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...
was so called by way of indicating the Cretans' customed and some refer to this the burning love of
Achilles In Greek mythology, Achilles ( ) or Achilleus () was a hero of the Trojan War who was known as being the greatest of all the Greek warriors. The central character in Homer's ''Iliad'', he was the son of the Nereids, Nereid Thetis and Peleus, ...
for
Patroclus In Greek mythology, Patroclus (generally pronounced ; ) was a Greek hero of the Trojan War and an important character in Homer's ''Iliad''. Born in Opus, Patroclus was the son of the Argonaut Menoetius. When he was a child, he was exiled from ...
. And what wonder, when both the adherents of the
Cynic philosophy Cynicism () is a school of thought in ancient Greek philosophy, originating in the Classical period and extending into the Hellenistic and Roman Imperial periods. According to Cynicism, people are reasoning animals, and the purpose of life an ...
and the followers of
Zeno of Citium Zeno of Citium (; , ; c. 334 – c. 262 BC) was a Hellenistic philosophy, Hellenistic philosopher from Kition, Citium (, ), Cyprus. He was the founder of the Stoicism, Stoic school of philosophy, which he taught in Athens from about 300 BC. B ...
,
Cleanthes Cleanthes (; ; c. 330 BC – c. 230 BC), of Assos, was a Greek Stoic philosopher and boxer who was the successor to Zeno of Citium as the second head ('' scholarch'') of the Stoic school in Athens. Originally a boxer, he came to Athens where ...
and
Chrysippus Chrysippus of Soli (; , ; ) was a Ancient Greece, Greek Stoicism, Stoic Philosophy, philosopher. He was a native of Soli, Cilicia, but moved to Athens as a young man, where he became a pupil of the Stoic philosopher Cleanthes. When Cleanthes ...
, declare that this practice is indifferent?".


2nd century – 3rd century

* 193 – 211 – Roman emperor
Septimius Severus Lucius Septimius Severus (; ; 11 April 145 – 4 February 211) was Roman emperor from 193 to 211. He was born in Leptis Magna (present-day Al-Khums, Libya) in the Roman province of Africa. As a young man he advanced through cursus honorum, the ...
prescribed capital punishment for homosexual rape throughout the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...
.


3rd century

* 218 – 222 – Roman emperor
Elagabalus Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (born Sextus Varius Avitus Bassianus, 204 – 13 March 222), better known by his posthumous nicknames Elagabalus ( ) and Heliogabalus ( ), was Roman emperor from 218 to 222, while he was still a teenager. His short r ...
's reign begins. At different times, Elagabalus marries five women and a man named Zoticus, an athlete from
Smyrna Smyrna ( ; , or ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean Sea, Aegean coast of Anatolia, Turkey. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna ...
, in a lavish public ceremony at Rome;''Augustan History'', Life of Elagabalu
10
/ref> but the Syrian's most stable relationship is with the chariot driver Hierocles, and
Cassius Dio Lucius Cassius Dio (), also known as Dio Cassius ( ), was a Roman historian and senator of maternal Greek origin. He published 80 volumes of the history of ancient Rome, beginning with the arrival of Aeneas in Italy. The volumes documented the ...
says Elagabalus delighted in being called Hierocles' mistress, wife, and queen. The emperor wears makeup and wigs, prefers to be called a lady and not a lord, and offers vast sums to any physician who can provide them with a vagina; for this reason, the emperor is seen by some writers as an early transgender figure and one of the first on record as seeking
sex reassignment surgery Gender-affirming surgery (GAS) is a surgical procedure, or series of procedures, that alters a person's physical appearance and sexual characteristics to resemble those associated with their gender identity. The phrase is most often associat ...
.Tess de'Carlo (2018
''Trans History''
Lulu.com. , p. 32.
* 222 – 235 – Roman emperor
Severus Alexander Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander (1 October 208 – March 235), also known as Alexander Severus, was Roman emperor from 222 until 235. He was the last emperor from the Severan dynasty. Alexander took power in 222, when he succeeded his slain c ...
deported homosexuals who were active in public life. According to Christius, Alexander increased the penalties for homosexuality throughout the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...
. According to Augustan History, Alexander decreed that the taxes on pimps, prostitutes, and ''exoleti'' should not be deposited in the public purse; instead, he ordered that these taxes should be used for restoring the theatre of Marcellus, the Circus Maximus, the amphitheatre, and the stadium build by
Domitian Domitian ( ; ; 24 October 51 – 18 September 96) was Roman emperor from 81 to 96. The son of Vespasian and the younger brother of Titus, his two predecessors on the throne, he was the last member of the Flavian dynasty. Described as "a r ...
in the Campus Martius. According to Aelius Lampridius, Ælius Lampridus, Alexander even contemplated making male prostitution illegal. * 244 – 249 – Roman emperor Marcus Julius Philippus either attempted to or did outlaw male prostitution throughout the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...
.


4th century

* 305 – 306 – Council of Elvira (now Granada, Spain). This council was representative of the Western European Church and among other things, it barred pederasts the right to Communion. * 314 – Council of Ancyra (now Ankara, Turkey). This council was representative of the Eastern European Church and it excluded the Sacraments for 15 years to unmarried men under the age of 20 who were caught in homosexual acts, and excluded the man for life if he was married and over the age of 50. * 306 – 337 – The ''Life of Constantine'' mentions a temple at Afqa, Aphaca in Phoenicia, on a remote summit of Mount Libanus, being used by effeminate homosexual pagan priests, and says that this temple was destroyed by the command of Roman emperor Constantine I. It also states that Constantine passed a law ordering the extermination of effeminate homosexual pagan priests in Egypt (Roman province), Egypt. * 337 – Constantius II and Constans I become the Roman emperor, 62nd Emperor of the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...
. During their reigns, they both engaged in same-sex relationships. * 342 – The Roman emperors Constantius II and Constans I issue the following imperial decree for the Roman Empire: * c. 380s – Ammianus Marcellinus publishes ''Res Gestae''. In ''Res Gestae'', Marcellinus writes that the
Persians Persians ( ), or the Persian people (), are an Iranian ethnic group from West Asia that came from an earlier group called the Proto-Iranians, which likely split from the Indo-Iranians in 1800 BCE from either Afghanistan or Central Asia. They ...
"are extravagantly given to venery, and are hardly contented with a multitude of concubines; they are far from immoral relations with boys." Also in ''Res Gestae'', Marcellinus writes that "We have learned that these Taifali were a shameful folk, so sunken in a life of shame and obscenity, that in their country the boys are coupled with the men in a union of unmentionable lust, to consume the flower of their youth in the polluted intercourse of those paramours." * 390 – The Roman emperors Valentinian II, Theodosius I and Arcadius issue the following imperial decrees for the Roman Empire: * 390 – 405 – Nonnus' Dionysiaca is the last known piece of Western literature for nearly 1,000 years to celebrate homosexual passion.


6th century

* 506 – The Visigothic Code of Alaric II decreed burning at the stake for same-sex couples in the Visigothic Kingdom. Other punishments included public ostracism, shaving of the head, whipping, and castration. * 533 – The Body of Civil Law goes into effect in the Byzantine Empire, enacting the following: * 576 – Death of Anastasia the Patrician who left life as a lady-in-waiting in the court of Justinian I in Constantinople to spend twenty-eight years (until death) dressed as a male monk in seclusion in Egypt,Laura Swan, ''The Forgotten Desert Mothers'' (2001, ), pages 72–73 and has been adopted by today's LGBTQ community as an example of a "
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
" saint. * 589 – The Visigoths, Visigothic kingdom in
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
, is converted from Arianism to Catholicism. This conversion leads to a revision of the law to conform to those of Catholic countries. These revisions include provisions for the persecution of homosexuals and Jewish people.


7th century

* 654 – The Visigothic Kingdom criminalized
sodomy Sodomy (), also called buggery in British English, principally refers to either anal sex (but occasionally also oral sex) between people, or any Human sexual activity, sexual activity between a human and another animal (Zoophilia, bestiality). I ...
and the punishment for it is castration. This is the first European secular law to criminalize sodomy. * 693 – In Iberia, Visigothic ruler Egica of Hispania and Septimania, demanded that a Church council confront the occurrence of homosexuality in the Kingdom. The Sixteenth Council of Toledo issued a statement in response, which was adopted by Egica, stating that homosexual acts be punished by castration, exclusion from Communion (Christian), Communion, hair shearing, one hundred lashes, and banishment into exile.


8th century

* c. 750 – With the creation of the Abbasid Caliphate, Muslim poets emerge describing homoeroticism and beautiful youths, such as Persian people, Persian-Arab poet Abu Nuwas.


9th century

* 800 – 900 – During the Carolingian Renaissance, Alcuin of York, an abbot, wrote love poems to other monks in spite of numerous Church laws condemning homosexuality. * 997 – King Mokjong of Goryeo, known for having male lovers, ascended to the throne in Korea.


2nd millennium


11th century

* 1007 – The Decretum of Burchard of Worms equates homosexual acts with sexual transgressions such as adultery and argues, therefore, that it should have the same penance (generally fasting). * 1051 – Peter Damian writes the treatise ''Liber Gomorrhianus'', in which he argues for stricter punishments for clerics failing their duty against "vices of nature." * 1061 – Pedro Dias and Muño Vandilas are married by a priest at a chapel in the Kingdom of León. * 1100 – Ivo of Chartres tries to convince Pope Urban II about homosexuality risks. Ivo accused Rodolfo, archbishop of Tours, of convincing the King of France to appoint a certain Giovanni as bishop of Orléans. Giovanni was well known as Rodolfo's lover and had relations with the king himself, a fact of which the king openly boasted. Pope Urban, however, didn't consider this as a decisive fact: Giovanni ruled as bishop for almost forty years, and Rodolfo continued to be well known and respected.


12th century

* 1102 – The Council of London (1102), Council of London took measures to ensure that the English public knew that homosexuality was sinful. * 1120 – Baldwin II of Jerusalem, Baldwin II of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, convenes the Council of Nablus to address the vices within the Kingdom. The Council calls for the burning of individuals who perpetually commit sodomy. * 1140 – The Italian monk Gratian compiles his work ''Concordia discordantium canonum'' in which he argues that sodomy is the worst of all the sexual sins because it involves using the member in an unnatural way. * 1164 – The English monk Aelred of Rievaulx writes his ''De spiritali amicitia'', giving love between persons of the same gender a profound expression. * 1179 – The Third Lateran Council of Rome issues a decree for the excommunication of sodomites.


13th century

* 1232 – Pope Gregory IX starts the Inquisition in the Italian City-States. Some cities called for banishment and/or amputation as punishments for 1st- and 2nd-offending sodomites and burning for the 3rd or habitual offenders. * 1260 – In the Kingdom of France, first-offending sodomites lost their testicles, second offenders lost their member, and third offenders were burned. Women caught in same-sex acts could be mutilated and executed as well. * 1265 – Thomas Aquinas argues that sodomy is second only to bestiality in the ranking of sins of lust. * 1283 – The ''Coutumes de Beauvaisis'' dictats that convicted sodomites should not only be burned but also that their property would be forfeited.


14th century

* 1308–14 – Philip IV of France orders the arrest of all Templars on charges of heresy, idolatry and sodomy, but these charges are only a pretext to seize the riches of the order. Order leaders are sentenced to death and burned at the stake on 18 March 1314 by Notre Dame de Paris, Notre Dame. * 1321 – Dante's ''Inferno (Dante), Inferno'' places sodomites in the Seventh Circle. * 1327 – The deposed King Edward II of England is killed, allegedly by forcing a red-hot poker through his rectum. Edward II had a history of conflict with the nobility, who repeatedly banished his former lover Piers Gaveston, the Earl of Cornwall. * 1347 – Rolandino Roncaglia is tried for sodomy, an event that caused a sensation in Italy. He confessed he "had never had sexual intercourse, neither with his wife nor with any other woman, because he had never felt any carnal appetite, nor could he ever have an erection of his virile member". After his wife died of plague, Rolandino started to prostitute himself, wearing female dresses because "since he has female look, voice and movements – although he does not have a female orifice, but has a male member and testicles – many persons considered him to be a woman because of his appearance". * 1351 – Buddhist temple murals depicting same-sex relationships were commissioned and painted in Thailand. * 1357 – King Gongmin of Goryeo, known for having male lovers, ascended to the throne in Korea. * 1370s – Jan van Aersdone and Willem Case were two men executed in Antwerp in the 1370s. The charge against them was same sex intercourse which was illegal and strenuously vilified in medieval Europe. Aersdone and Case stand out because records of their names have survived. One other couple still known by name from the 14th century were Giovanni Braganza and Nicoleto Marmagna of Venice. * 1395 – John Rykener, known also as Johannes Richer and Eleanor, was a transvestite prostitute working mainly in London (near Cheapside), but also active in Oxford. He was arrested in 1395 for cross-dressing and interrogated.


15th century

* 1424 – Bernardino of Siena preached for three days in Florence, Italy, against homosexuality and other forms of lust, culminating in a pyre in which burned cosmetics, wigs and all sorts of articles for the beautification. He calls for Sodomy, sodomites to be ostracized from society, and these sermons alongside measures by other clergy of the time strengthens opinion against homosexuals and encourages the authorities to increase the measures of persecution. * 1431 – Nezahualcoyotl (tlatoani), Nezahualcoyotl, Tlatoani of Texcoco (altepetl), Texcoco, enacted laws making homosexuality a capital punishment by hanging in Texcoco. * 1432 – In Florence the first organization specifically intended to prosecute sodomy is established, the "Night Officials", which over the next 70 years arrest about 10,000 men and boys, succeeding in getting about 2,000 convicted, with most then paying fines. * 1436 – Sun-bin Bong, Royal Noble Consort Sun is banished from the Joseon court after it is discovered that she has been sleeping with her maid. The official decree blames her demotion on receiving visitors without her husband's permission and instructing her maids to sing men's songs. * 1451 – Pope Nicholas V enables the papal Inquisition to persecute men who practice sodomy. * 1471 – 1493  – According to Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, Garcilaso de la Vega's ''Comentarios Reales de los Incas, Real Reviews of the Incas,'' during the reign of Sapa Inca Topa Inca Yupanqui or Túpac Inca Yupanqui, he persecuted homosexuals. Yupanqui's general, Auqui Tatu, burned alive in public square all those for whom there was even circumstantial evidence of sodomy in [H]acari valley, threatening to burn down whole towns if anyone engaged in sodomy. In Chincha Alta, Chincha, Yupanqui burned alive large numbers, pulling down their houses and any trees they had planted. * 1475 – In Peru, a chronicle written under the Capac Yupanqui government describes the persecution of homosexuals with public burnings and destruction of homes (a practice usually reserved for conquered tribes). * 1476 – Florentine court records of 1476 show that Leonardo da Vinci and three other young men were charged with
sodomy Sodomy (), also called buggery in British English, principally refers to either anal sex (but occasionally also oral sex) between people, or any Human sexual activity, sexual activity between a human and another animal (Zoophilia, bestiality). I ...
twice, and acquitted. * 1483 – The Spanish Inquisition begins. Sodomites were stoned, castrated, and burned. Between 1540 and 1700, more than 1,600 people were prosecuted for sodomy. * 1492 – Desiderius Erasmus writes a series of love letters to a fellow monk while at a monastery in Steyn in the Netherlands. * 1494 – Girolamo Savonarola criticizes the population of Florence for its "horrible sins" (mainly homosexuality and gambling) and exhorts them to give up their young and beardless lovers. * 1497 – In Spain, the King of Aragon Ferdinand II of Aragon, Ferdinand and List of Castilian monarchs, Queen of Castile and List of Leonese monarchs, León Isabella I of Castile, Isabella strengthen the sodomy laws hitherto applied only in the cities. An increase is made in the severity of the crime equating to treason or heresy, and the amount of evidence required for conviction is lowered, with torture permitted to extract confession. The property of the defendant is also confiscated.


15th century – 16th century

* 1493 – 1525  – According to Garcilaso de la Vega's ''Real Reviews of the Incas,'' during his reign, Sapa Inca Huayna Capac merely "bade" the people of Tumbes Region, Tumbez to give up sodomy and did not take any measures against the Matna, who "practiced sodomy more openly and shamelessly than all the other tribes."


16th century

* 1502 – A charge is brought against the Italian artist Sandro Botticelli on the grounds of sodomy. * 1505 – 1521 – The Zhengde Emperor of the Ming dynasty had a same-sex relationship with the Muslim leader Sayyid Husain, although no evidence supporting this claim exists in Chinese sources * 1512 – Revolt of the Compagnacci in Florence * 1513 – Vasco Núñez de Balboa, a conquistador in modern-day Panama is described as throwing forty homosexual Indians to his dogs. * 1519 – Ferdinand Magellan sentences the death penalty against his own crew when they arrived it Rio de Janeiro, after he deemed them as having a homosexual relationship * 1523 – First of several charges of sodomy brought against the Florentine artist Benvenuto Cellini. * 1526 – The founder and first emperor of the Mughal Empire, Emperor Babur, had a long-term loving relationship with his male lover Baburi Andijani, who was already an adult when Emperor Babur founded his dynasty. * 1532 – The Holy Roman Empire makes sodomy punishable by death. The Florentine artist Michelangelo begins writing over 300 love poems dedicated to Tommaso dei Cavalieri. * 1533 – King Henry VIII of England, Henry VIII passes the Buggery Act 1533 making anal intercourse punishable by death throughout England. * 1542 – Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca documents same sex marriages and men "who dress like women and perform the office of women, but use the bow and carry big loads" among a Native American tribe in his publication, ''The Journey of Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca and His Companions from Florida to the Pacific 1528–1536''. * 1543 – Henry VIII gives royal assent to the Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542, Laws in Wales Act 1542, extending the Buggery Act 1533, buggery law into Wales. * 1553 – Mary I of England, Mary Tudor ascends the English throne and removes all of the laws that had been passed by Henry VIII during the English Reformation of the 1530s. * 1558–1563 – Elizabeth I of England, Elizabeth I reinstates Henry VIII's old laws, including the Buggery Act 1533. * 1561 – process of Wojciech z Poznania, who married Sebastian Słodownik, and lived with him for 2 years in Poznań. Both had female partners. On his return to Kraków, he married Wawrzyniec Włoszek. Wojciech, considered in public opinion as a woman, was burned for 'crimes against nature'. * 1590 – The Boxer Codex records same-sex marriage as normalized in pre-colonial Philippines


17th century

* 17th century – Hu Tianbao of Fujian was executed by the Chinese government. The people of Fujian later deified him as the god of homosexual love, building a temple in his honor and calling him Tu'er Shen. * 1608 – Sweden's first secular law against male sodomy was introduced by Charles IX of Sweden, Charles IX. The punishment was death. * The Colony of Virginia enacts a military order that criminalizes male sodomy, making it punishable by death. This order ends later the same year, when martial law is terminated upon the change in control of the Virginia Colony. * 1610 – The Colony of Virginia enacts a military order that criminalizes male sodomy, making it punishable by death. This order ends later the same year, when martial law is terminated upon the change in control of the Virginia Colony. * 1620 – Brandenburg-Prussia criminalizes sodomy, making it punishable by death. * 1624 – Richard Cornish (shipmaster), Richard Cornish of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia, Virginia Colony is tried and hanged for sodomy. * 1648 – The first known prosecution for lesbian activity in North America occurs in March when Sarah White Norman is charged with "Lascivious, Lewd behaviour with each other upon a bed" with Mary Vincent Hammon in Plymouth (town), Massachusetts, Plymouth, Massachusetts. Hammon was under 16 and not prosecuted. * 1648 – In Canada's first-ever criminal trial for the crime of homosexuality, a gay military drummer stationed at the French garrison in Montreal, Ville-Marie, New France is sentenced to death by the local Sulpician Order, Sulpician priests."Looking back at Quebec queer life since the 17th century"
. ''Xtra!'', 15 December 2009.
After an intervention by the Jesuits in Quebec City, the drummer's life is spared on the condition that he accept the position of New France's first permanent executioner. * 1655 – The Connecticut Colony passes a law against sodomy, which includes a punishment for lesbian intercourse as well. * 1661 – The Colony of Virginia enacts English common law, thus criminalizing male-to-male sodomy again. * 1672 – ''The Life and Struggles of Our Mother Wälättä P̣eṭros'' (1672) is the first reference of homosexuality between nuns in Ethiopian literature. * 1683 – The Kingdom of Denmark criminalizes "relations against nature", making it punishable by death. * 1688 – 1704 – Kagemachaya(:ja:陰間茶屋, ja), a Japanese gay bar, first opens in Japan.オトコノコのためのボーイフレンド (1986)


18th century

* 1721 – Catharina Margaretha Linck is executed for female sodomy in Germany. * 1726 – Margaret Clap, Mother Clap's molly house in London is raided by police, resulting in the execution of three men. * 1730 – In The Netherlands the Utrecht sodomy trials, Utrecht Sodomy Trials begin, resulting in the execution of over a hundred men and the banishment of hundreds more. * 1740Kangxi Emperor, Kiangxi Emperor of Qing dynasty, Qing Dynasty passed the first legislation criminalizing consensual nonprofit homosexual sex in Chinese history. * Jens Andersson of Norway, assigned female at birth but identifying as male, was imprisoned and put on trial after marrying Anne Kristine Mortensdotter in a Lutheran church. When asked about his gender, the response was "Hand troer at kunde henhøre til begge Deele" ("He believes he belongs to both"). * 1785 – Prince Kraison of Thailand became the first openly queer member of the Chakri dynasty since the dynasty's royal enthronment under its first ruler Rama I, who was Prince Kraison's father. He had a loving relationship with theatre actors Khun Thong and Yaem. * 1785 – Jeremy Bentham is one of the first people to argue for the decriminalization of sodomy in England. * 1786 – King Frederick the Great of Prussia dies. (See: ''Sexuality of Frederick the Great'') * 1791 – The LGBT rights in France, Kingdom of France (LGBT rights in Andorra, Andorra, and LGBT rights in Haiti, Haiti) adopts the French Penal Code of 1791, which no longer criminalizes sodomy. France thus becomes the first West European country to decriminalize homosexual acts between consenting adults. * 1791 – The novel ''Dream of the Red Chamber'' by Cao Xueqin is published in China. It includes an openly bisexual character as well as an account of a gay bashing.Jan Wong's China: Reports From A Not-So-Foreign Correspondent, Jan Wong. Doubleday Canada, 2011

/ref> * 1793 – LGBT rights in Monaco, Monaco decriminalizes sodomy. * 1794 – The Kingdom of Prussia abolishes the death penalty for sodomy. * 1794 – LGBT rights in Luxembourg, Luxembourg decriminalizes sodomy. * 1795 – LGBT rights in Belgium, Belgium decriminalizes sodomy.


19th century


20th century


3rd millennium


21st century


See also

* Gay and Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands * Bisexuality in the United States * Gay men in American history * History of bisexuality * History of human sexuality * History of LGBT in policing * History of lesbianism * History of lesbianism in the United States * History of transgender people in the United States * Intersex in history * LGBT history * LGBT history in Turkey * List of LGBT actions in the United States prior to the Stonewall riots * List of LGBT firsts by year * Table of years in LGBT rights * Timeline of African and diasporic LGBT history * Timeline of asexual history * Timeline of Asian and Pacific Islander diasporic LGBT history * Timeline of intersex history * Timeline of LGBT history in Canada * Timeline of LGBT history in Ecuador * Timeline of LGBT history in New York City * Timeline of LGBT history in South Africa * Timeline of LGBT history in Turkey * Timeline of LGBT history in the United Kingdom * Timeline of LGBT history in the United States * Timeline of LGBT Jewish history * Timeline of LGBT Mormon history * Timeline of same-sex marriage * Timeline of same-sex marriage in the United States * Timeline of sexual orientation and medicine * Timeline of transgender history


References


Sources

* *


Further reading

* Archer, Bert (2004). ''The End of Gay: And the Death of Heterosexuality''. Thunder's Mouth Press. . * Bullough, Vern L. (2002). ''Before Stonewall: Activists for Gay and Lesbian Rights in Historical Context''. New York, Harrington Park Press, an imprint of The Haworth Press. . * Burleson, William E. (2005). ''Bi America: Myths, Truths, and Struggles of an Invisible Community''. United Kingdom, Routledge. * * Dapin, Mark, "If at first you don't secede...", The Sydney Morning Herald – Good Weekend, 12 February 2005, pp 47–50 * * Gallo, Marcia M. (2007) ''Different Daughters: A History of the Daughters of Bilitis and the Rise of the Lesbian Rights Movement.'' California: Seal Press. * Hogan, Steve and Lee Hudson (1998). ''Completely Queer: The Gay and Lesbian Encyclopedia''. New York, Henry Holt and Company. . * Lattas, Judy, "Queer Sovereignty: the Gay & Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands", Cosmopolitan Civil Societies journal, UTS September 2009 * Miller, Neil (1995). ''Out of the Past: Gay and Lesbian History from 1869 to the Present''. New York, Vintage Books. . * * Susan Stryker, Stryker, Susan (2008). ''Transgender History (book), Transgender History''. New York, Seal Press.


External links


Chronicle of gay history

History of Gay Rights

LGBT History Timeline

Our Story (Another Timeline)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Timeline Of Lgbtq History LGBTQ timelines,