Toadies—people who suck up to high-status persons no matter how nastily those high-status persons treat them—are something new to our species. Here’s evidence (as if you need further evidence) that they’ve been around for generations. The satirical book The Natural History of Tuft-hunters and Toadies, by Theodore Alois Buckley, was published by D. Bogue, in 1848.
Theodore Alois Buckley became famous for translating ancient literary works, including The Odyssey—into the English language.
BONUS: We have seen mention of, but have not managed to find a copy of, this study: “Flattery and compliance with a direct request: Towards a theory of toady influence,” A.R. Pratkanis and C. J. Abbott, Unpublished manuscript. University of California, Santa Cruz (2011). It would be delightful to learn whether the study exists.