>>17926795 (OP)
Something like that. We now know the the Senatorial and Equestrian classes had very high Germanic admixtures and were basically "Gaulic", which can be seen in their lighter features. This wouldn't have been as crazy as it sounds considering "Good Ol' Fashion" Romans were low-grade eugenicists. Not quite Spartan levels of "take my wife b/c you're pp is bigger than mine", but close. Being someone's "Father" was more of a legal designation and people could be "adopted" at any time and age. If you had a choice between a Golden God carrying on your name, or some swarthy Med turd, it's no contest.
Every one on Earth "prefers" blondes. Everyone. The Celts and Norse would lime rinse their hair to make it lighter and all gods in IE religions are "light", "bright", "golden", "radiant", "fair-haired", "clear-eyed", "ivory-armed", etc......
There is nothing divine about being "colored". Not now. Not ever.