Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2019 July 9

= July 9 =

Roman society during the time of Spartacus
I have been watching the TV series Spartacus. While I know it is not intended to accurately reflect actual historical fact, I am wondering if the Roman society was as blatantly and overtly sexual as portrayed on Spartacus. Is there any historical references to how "sexualized" the society was at the time? 76.71.158.123 (talk) 01:26, 9 July 2019 (UTC)
 * Some accounts from the era do portray a fair degree of 'depravity', most notably The Twelve Caesars by Suetonius (which was a principal source for Robert Graves' I, Claudius and Claudius the God, along with works by Tacitus and Plutarch). However, I have read suggestions that Suetonius, for one, was not recording only reliable historical facts, but also the gamut of rumours about prominent persons' behaviour that were circulated during or shortly after their time, and which may have been in part malicious falsehoods invented for political purposes, in a milieu where politics routinely involved both character and actual assassination. Objective, unbiased contemporary and recent historical accounts were probably thin on the ground. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 2.122.177.55 (talk) 02:07, 9 July 2019 (UTC)


 * I would counter this by stating that I believe it depends on the time and place within the Roman Empire. From works I have read (which I can site tomorrow if you need me to as I can't remember the name of the book, though a reliable source, I will need to check my bookshelf) Women in the Roman Empire generally were treated much as Islamic women are today.  They had to have their heads covered and rarely left the house without a male chaperone.  The did not have the ability to vote nor did they have a say in day to day life.  This would lead me to believe that promiscuity was less than commonly flaunted.  Rather it was limited to pockets in places such as Pompeii.  Anton 81.131.40.58 (talk) 10:46, 9 July 2019 (UTC)

Thanks for the feedback. In general, I suspect that the blatant sexuality displayed in Spartacus is driven more by ratings (titties = higher ratings) but was wondering about such scenes as Spartacus walking past his followers who are engaging in public sexual acts and people acting as if this were the norm). Anton, if you could provide your citation, I would appreciate that. 216.223.104.13 (talk) 14:49, 9 July 2019 (UTC)
 * WP:WHAAOE: See Sexuality in ancient Rome Rmhermen (talk) 16:37, 9 July 2019 (UTC)


 * Suetonius wrote his histories during or after serving as a secretary and archivist for the emperors Trajan and Hadrian. When depicting the various emperors and other leaders pf the Julio-Claudian dynasty and the Flavian dynasty, he is writing several decades or even a century following their deaths. Many of the details he is giving on their personal lives are thought to be based on conspiracy theories (depicting even natural deaths as assassinations) and older, lost sources written by the Senatorial class who mostly opposed these leaders. Dimadick (talk) 17:30, 9 July 2019 (UTC)


 * As requested my citation is as follows: Roman Civilization Source book I - The Republic.jpg and Roman Civilization Source book I - The Republic Publishing information page.jpg  I am not able to point you to the exact spot in the book where the aforementioned is referenced but the book is divided into easily perused sections discussing normal life and should be fairly easy to find as well as being fascinating.  Also it is a conglomeration of quotes from contemporary sources written at the time and so I believe this to be adequate.  Anton 81.131.40.58 (talk) 11:20, 10 July 2019 (UTC)

DoB of singer Johnny Kidd - 1935 vs 1939
Sources are divided on whether Johnny Kidd (singer) was born on 23 December 1935 or 23 December 1939. His entry in the grave collection with the plaque obviously endowed by his wife is a very strong argument for 1935. At least, mistakes can happen in such cases (I know it from my own grandma where the birth is 1 year apart because the mason made a mistake, and the relatives decided not to make a fuzz about it), but of course this is highly unlikely. But is it known where the common claim he were born in 1939 (sample source) comes from? --KnightMove (talk) 03:59, 9 July 2019 (UTC)
 * Do you have access to British census records that would cover the 1935-1939 period? ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 14:18, 9 July 2019 (UTC)
 * No. --KnightMove (talk) 09:51, 10 July 2019 (UTC)
 * FWIW, The New Musical Express Book of Rock No. 2, (Ed. Nick Logan & Bob Wooffinden, Star Books 1977, p278) gives 23 December 1939, but note that it has been common for people in the entertainment industry to understate their age to help them appeal to a younger demographic, make themselves more bookable, and ultimately prolong their active careers. The 1939 date would have made Kidd 19 when Johnny Kidd & the Pirates' first single Please Don't Touch appeared in June 1959, rather than a perhaps less appealing 24. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 2.122.177.55 (talk) 17:17, 9 July 2019 (UTC)

High Frequency Distortion Effect
Moved to science ref desk. ←Baseball Bugs What's up, Doc? carrots→ 00:26, 11 July 2019 (UTC)
 *  Here :—2606:A000:1126:28D:84CB:D08E:899F:D254 (talk) 05:46, 11 July 2019 (UTC)

Goal kick
Hello. I'm watching Europa League qualifiers live (Gzira United v. Hajduk Split) as I'm writing this. I'm stunned to see defenders standing within the penalty area and receiving goal kicks. I'm aware of the rule change, but doesn't it state that all players but the taker must leave the area first and can only move inside once the ball is kicked? Splićanin (talk) 16:33, 9 July 2019 (UTC)
 * No. It states that all opposing players must be outside the penalty box. []. Wymspen (talk) 16:51, 9 July 2019 (UTC)