to think that a serious documentary on the BBC should not describe Hadrian as "crying like a woman"

[MNHQ2]

Is it unreasonable to think that is more than just a wee bit sexist?

Or am I getting all sanctimonious in my old age?

Hmm, but was crying "like a woman" acceptable for a man in Hadian's culture?

I wonder what crying like a woman meant in Hadrian's culture... Probably not what we mean today. Perhaps they tore their clothes and screamed?

or maybe the women in those times were very refined and cried daintily, into little kerchiefs, whereas the men cried heaving great uncontrollable sobs?

Perhaps he was a she

He did have a very loving homosexual relationship and was utterly devistated why his partner drowned in the River Nile. He had the partner deified!

Sounds like you've hit the nail on the head MB

bBTW being the active member (no pun intended) of a homosexual relationship wasn't considered to be gay by the Romans.

bBTW being the active member (no pun intended) of a homosexual relationship wasn't considered to be gay by the Romans.

trying to remember my school classics.....it was like this in greece as well?

yes, very much so

I went to the Hadrian exhibition in the British Museum last Saterday.

There was a statue of his lover, and if it was a true representation he was stunning

Who was it failed to defend the Alhambra in Granada and was told by his mother, as he left crying in a carriage, "You do well to weep as a woman for that which you could not defend as a man."

I heard that as well. I was yelling "crying like a woman? crying like a woman? Pah" at poor DH until he collapsed under the weight of my shoutyness and cried like a woman.

LOL ChukkyPig.

I didn't have anyone to be indignant to. So I phoned the BBC and told them off instead!

Nice one MNHQ2!!

lol mnhq2 - were you shouting like a women

No, no shouting. Very polite. And a bit embarrassed. Wished I'd had a few drinks, as I could've had a drunken rant at them. I wouldn't give them my full name though, so i will just be recorded as a "female caller".