There's absolutely no way this is true. In a time where most of your children die of disease, you aren't going to just kill your healthy children for the comedy

There's absolutely no way this is true. In a time where most of your children die of disease, you aren't going to just kill your healthy children for the comedy value. People do a lot of fucked up shit but nobody kills their own children. Other people's children sure. Giving children to the temple so that they'll become exhaulted priests sure. But they would never beat their own children to death because someone said it's a fun idea. This is one of those moments like when historians say the royal poo wiper is the most prestigious role in court. If historians found modern texts they would think "ass kissing" is the highest ranking role in the country and that people who get selected to that role have all the power and influence.