I've been reading a lot of history lately and came across this guy, the Roman emperor Domitian, who I didn't know very much about initially. But the description of his character really struck me. According to contemporary historians Domitian was an extremely solitary man who hated hosting senators at parties or doing any of the social business required of an emperor or a high-ranking Roman man. His people mocked him for this, even when he was emperor, joking that he must have spent all that time alone stabbing at flies with a knife. He also grew up in the shadows of his father Vespasian, who was a great general, and his extremely popular and outgoing older brother Titus, who died and left the throne to him. He was pretty autocratic as emperors went, but he ran the empire well and pursued good policies. But in part because of his asocial character he was hated and his memory was damned after he died. He also did some pretty bad things and had some guys killed, but what else are you going to do when you're the emperor? Really. So you see, we're in good company. Even when you're the emperor of Rome people won't leave you alone and let you do what you want.
There are more great men who spent their life in solitude than I can count.
>>5317 True, but I'd usually think of literary men, or ascetics, or people like that. I didn't think I'd find someone who ruled one of the most decadent empires in history, and one of the most social too.
Shut ins get more done becuase they don't spend the bulk of their time making connections in the hope someone else will do things for them. All the same, interesting find. Have to agree the last profession I'd assume for a recluse to have, would definitely have been to be the emperor of Rome.
look at that smug bastard
Also: Nero had a neckbeard.
You know, much of the greatest men and women throughout history were often those who went against the conventions of societal norms.
>>5360 I just realized Domitian is doing that "shit was so cash" face in that bust, he's even leaning to the side. Weird considering the kind of guy he was.