I was reading this article on Roman emperors... There was one who liked to swim with little young boys and called them his minnows... However

History is written by the victor, so I would be careful reading about the atrocities of those past (Sometimes even present) when there are none to defend them; far too often those have turned out to be lies by their enemies. That said 12 years for women and 14 for men has been the legal age of marriage (and so, of consent) until early 20th century in most parts of the world, and for example practice of eunuchs widespread through the cultures of the world.

While these practices would rightfully be condemned in modern times, it amazes me people claim to have read history and then judge it entirely through modern eyes and concepts. And, if history written by their enemies is to be fully believed, Tiberius and Nero for example were demented mass-murderers where their interest in young boys (NOT pedophilia, which is interest in prepubescent) would be merely a footnote. On the other hand, many of their enemies/alternatives tended to be even worse.