Final answer:
The assertion that Giovanni demonstrated his lack of importance by engaging in sexual activity with Lucrezia in public is false. Roman society did not condone public displays of such nature for the purpose of self-degradation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that Giovanni showed everyone that he was not important by having sex with Lucrezia in public is false. The historical context presented does not indicate any such public displays by Giovanni. Roman societal norms, as reflected in the sources provided, reveal that influential figures like Sulla and others engaged in various forms of public display, ranging to a more complex interaction with social customs and laws, but public sexual acts for the purpose of expressing one's own unimportance would be inconsistent with Roman values of the time. Public and private lives of Romans, especially those of high status, were keenly observed and often critiqued by their peers, as evident from the excerpts provided which scrutinize personal conduct rather severely. The nature of relationships and conduct in Rome was complex and deeply entangled with one's reputation, political standing, and social order.