roman sexual practices (without getting graphic...)

[caius matinius mattius]

Now I know how dubious a source the history channel can be, but I was watching "Roman Vice" last night, and they seemed to fall right back on the old, decadent, sex crazed view that hollywood seems to sell of the romans. Is there more truth to the simple and some might say prudish Roman of say Cato the Censors' time, then his late republican/ early principate brother? Also what were the political views of homosexuality? Watching the show, it seemed to me that they were ascribing more of a greek notion of love than what would have been social acceptable in rome. Any input would be greatly appreciated.


Caius Matinius Mattius

(chris mattingly)

[richsc]

couple books out there that are more or less scholarly. "Roman Sex" is one.

[Paullus Scipio]

I can recommend a somewhat older book for a serious study: "Sexual Life in Ancient Rome" by Otto Kiefer ( a translation of "Kulturgesichte Roms unter besonderer Berucksichtigung der Romischen Sitten" first published in English in 1934 by Abbey Library, ninth impression 1976.

This deals with all aspects: Woman in Roman Life - marriage -divorce- emancipation - free love
The Romans and Cruelty - conquest-slavery-executions -the arena
Religion and Philosophy - gods and goddesses - festivals -philosophy
Physical Aspects - Dress and ornament - toilet - dancing and theatre
Love and Poetry - a discusiion of the works of a number of poets and their atitudes to sexual matters
Men and Women - biographical discussion of Emperors and their families

Somewhat old-fashioned today, it gives an excellent overall view of the part sex and marriage etc played in Roman Society....

[Epictetus]

Or for a primary source, try Ovid's Art of Love.

[Quintius Clavus]

There is Roman Homosexuality by Craig Williams, 1999. One of the first things he stresses is that the ancients did not divide sexuality along the same binary we do. They had no words for either homo- or heterosexuality and looked more at role rather than with whom-not to say that it was the only criteria for Romans. His goal is to try to get at how the Romans understood and experienced same-sex relationships, which is complex, as well as discussing the Roman understanding of Masculinity.
Within The Marriage of Roman Soldiers by Sara Elise Phang, 2001, there are two chapters - 8 and 9 - which deal with the short-term sexual relationships of Roman soldiers. Chapter 8 idiscusses their relationships with women and Chapter 9 discusses the evidence for those with boys or men (and there is some). In Chapter 8, she also discusses a little of the Roman view of what constituted rape.
I have a copy of Roman Sex, which I picked up at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is well worth reading, with many photos or drawings of artifacts, and again seeks to get at Roman attitudes including away from Rome itself, in the provinces-such as Roman Gaul.