Gay sex in ancient rome
In honour of LGBTQIA+ history month, Ancient History alumni Ollie Burns takes a closer look at the social, political, and cultural implications of homosexuality in ancient Rome.
Trigger Warning: sexual violence, homophobia, paedophilia, nudity.
The presentation and perception of homosexuality in the Roman world was vastly distinct than how it is today, and gives us an example of how homosexuality has been indelibly linked with communications of power and authority in antiquity. The Latin language has no word for either heterosexual or lgbtq+, and instead partners in a sexual relationship would be presented as either active, synonymous with masculinity, or passive and therefore, feminine, regardless of the gender of the individuals involved. Freeborn male Romans had the civil liberty to do as they pleased when it came to sexual activity, and as such, the framework of a Roman guy engaging in homosexual sex was in no way controversial or taboo to the Romans, as drawn-out as it fell within certain parameters.
Rome was a deeply militarised state, with conquest and dominance deeply ingrained as desirable masculine traits. As a product of this, men were free to engage in
A Brief History of Homosexuality in Italy from Ancient Rome to Today
Postwar Italy, politically dominated by the country’s Catholic party, didn’t carry out much against the diffused homophobia of those years. Culture cared about lgbtq+ people only for the wrong reasons, as it happened in 1960 when an investigation on the “homosexual scene” in the northern town of Brescia turned into a massive media case with endless plot twists and unfounded accusations (which included one of human trafficking). When the so-called “Scandalo dei Balletti Verdi ” (“Green Ballets Scandal”) reached TV personalities like Mike Bongiorno, the entire territory turned its morbose attention to it.
In 1971, Fuori! (Out!), the first queer organization in Italy, was founded. Mario Mieli, the most famous Italian Homosexual activist, took part in the movement before founding his own organization. A year later, a group of same-sex attracted people publicly demonstrated for their rights for the first time in the history of the country.
Since then, the Italian queer society has been keeping an active role in manifesting and demanding rights. Petty by little, and always at a much slower pace than most other European countries, It
Everything You Need To Know About Homosexuality In Ancient Rome
Since we’re heading to Rome on a swanky, culture-rich tour of Italy, you may be wondering about homosexuality in ancient Rome and how gay the Empire really was? As it turns out, super same-sex attracted. But it’s complicated.
You Weren’t Gay or Straight. But Superior or Bottom. With Consequence.
The biggest thing about sexuality in ancient Rome was that they didn’t concern themselves with who, but rather how, you boinked. They didn’t even have a synonyms for homosexuality, but the empire was obsessed with conquest, and that mindset pervaded everything including sex. All that mattered was who’s on top. Alas, if you were a man, to be penetrated was to be subdued, thus weak and less worthy.
Furthermore, sexual partners weren’t chosen by gender, but class. Married men would continue to cavort with other fellows, so drawn-out as that significant other was beneath them both sexually and societally. This could entail prostitutes, the enslaved, and the infamia (those disgraced by society such as gladiators, actors, dancers and anybody else who ‘gave up’ their body for public display).
Gay Marriage was a Thing.
Even without a word fo
Queer Romans
Queer lives have always been part of history! For the last day of Pride Month 2021, Victoria Vening-Richards who is one of our Amgueddfa Cymru Producers has written an investigation of queer lives in ancient Rome. With thanks to Mark Lewis at the National Roman Legion Museum in Carleon for sharing his knowledge.
Queer Romans
Homosexuality within the Roman society is a much debated topic. Over the years scholars possess come to varying conclusions; some suggest same-sex relations were freely practiced in the Roman nature, others argue they were both legally and socially condemned. However, neither argument has been capable to reach a definitive finding. This blog will discuss the use of the label queer, the social attitude towards gay relationships, and same-sex relationships within a military context.
1. The exploit of the label 'homosexual'
Recent studies on Roman society have argued that the term 'homosexual', essence someone who has a sexual orientation towards someone of the same gender, did not remain linguistically, within the Latin language, and socially, within Roman community. This is because male Roman citizens are assumed to h