What do you think?
Rate this book
Sexuality in Greek and Roman Culture
Sexuality in Greek and Roman Culture is the first comprehensive survey of ancient Greek and Roman sexuality.
376 pages, Paperback
First published February 18, 2005
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 20, 2022
Interesanta tēma, bet pasniegta visai sausi un haotiski. Galvenais secinājums, mēs mūsdienās dzīvojam ļoti puritāniskā sabiedrībā.
March 23, 2019
The book must have been written from a feminist perspective, and therefore the author's emphasis is on discussions of heterosexuality. Male homosexuality is given a secondary role in the course of the text. Thus, Skinner eloquently discusses writers who speak more of the love of women, such as Archilocus, Aristophanes, Menander or Ovid, and relatively little (or, sometimes, very little) of those who have more to say about love between males, such as Theognis, Plato, Xenophon, Callimachus, or Martial.
Even when male homosexuality is discussed, however, the author tends to pay more attention to negative portrayals of this kind of love. As such, when she does discuss Plato, she gives more emphasis to the "Laws", written by him when he was in his 80s and where he finds himself in his most ascetic, hostile to any sexual practice that is not confined to marriage and oriented towards reproduction. Very little is said of the erotics of "Symposium" and of "Phaedrus". This is a strange omission, since it is in these books where there are found Plato's more extensive debates about love, especially about male homosexuality, which he regards as superior to heterosexuality here. It is fair to say that both these works are still the most influential of all Western philosophy on the subject of love. They were certainly much more important than the "Laws", a late and unfinished work. Yet, there are more references in Skinner's book to Sophocles' "Phaedra" than to Plato's "Phaedrus".
In the little that Skinner says about the "platonic love", she emphasizes its supposed chastity and relegates the homoeroticism to the background. But in the "Phaedrus", Plato is clear that even carnal pederasty can be reconciled with philosophical pursuit. And in these two books, when Plato speaks of how love can lead the couple to an honest search for metaphysical truth, it is always a male couple that he speaks of. He equates heterosexuality with the earthly and carnal Aphrodite, whose nature is antithetical to that of the transcendental Ideas, and, therefore, to philosophical knowledge. For that matter, the dichotomy, presented in the "Symposium", between the carnal and heterosexual Aphrodite, and the celestial and homosexual Aphrodite - one of the most interesting in Platonic ethics - is not even touched upon in Skinner's text.
In an attempt to find among the ancients something that resembles modern homophobia, she provides a very forced reading of the sources, especially of Aristophanes. Among other things, she follows Thomas Hubbard in reading a dialogue between two characters unsubtly called Stronger Argument and Weaker Argument, featured in the "Clouds", as displaying hostility to the educational pederasty idealized in the poetry of the late archaic and early classical periods. Such a reading, however, completely escapes the spirit of the works of Aristophanes, who, as Andrew Lear observes, romanticizes the past and despairs of the present. It also escapes the spirit of the scene, in which the advocate of the pederastic ethos of yore is named Stronger Argument, while his opponent, who represents the democratic habits of the debauched present, is called Weaker Argument.
The same tendency exists in the treatment she gives to Roman sources. Barely a mention is made of Martial, whose voluminous work is the most extensive single source of Roman sexuality, its practices, values and prejudices. But Martial's preference for sex with boys over girls is contrary to the focus of the author.
Skinner also discusses female homosexuality, but her attempts to find non-judgmental references to this kind of love after Sappho are unconvincing. For her, vase paintings showing a woman resting a hand on a girl friend's back might be proof of a female homoerotic culture that must have been practiced openly and without stigma in the pre-Hellenistic period. A stretch, to say the least.
This book should be good for readers who are more heavily interested in the lives of women during classical antiquity, and in how female sexuality was seen by the men of those times. But for those who want a more comprehensive treatment of the erotics of Greco-Roman culture, or one more centered on homoeroticism, there are far better sources.
Even when male homosexuality is discussed, however, the author tends to pay more attention to negative portrayals of this kind of love. As such, when she does discuss Plato, she gives more emphasis to the "Laws", written by him when he was in his 80s and where he finds himself in his most ascetic, hostile to any sexual practice that is not confined to marriage and oriented towards reproduction. Very little is said of the erotics of "Symposium" and of "Phaedrus". This is a strange omission, since it is in these books where there are found Plato's more extensive debates about love, especially about male homosexuality, which he regards as superior to heterosexuality here. It is fair to say that both these works are still the most influential of all Western philosophy on the subject of love. They were certainly much more important than the "Laws", a late and unfinished work. Yet, there are more references in Skinner's book to Sophocles' "Phaedra" than to Plato's "Phaedrus".
In the little that Skinner says about the "platonic love", she emphasizes its supposed chastity and relegates the homoeroticism to the background. But in the "Phaedrus", Plato is clear that even carnal pederasty can be reconciled with philosophical pursuit. And in these two books, when Plato speaks of how love can lead the couple to an honest search for metaphysical truth, it is always a male couple that he speaks of. He equates heterosexuality with the earthly and carnal Aphrodite, whose nature is antithetical to that of the transcendental Ideas, and, therefore, to philosophical knowledge. For that matter, the dichotomy, presented in the "Symposium", between the carnal and heterosexual Aphrodite, and the celestial and homosexual Aphrodite - one of the most interesting in Platonic ethics - is not even touched upon in Skinner's text.
In an attempt to find among the ancients something that resembles modern homophobia, she provides a very forced reading of the sources, especially of Aristophanes. Among other things, she follows Thomas Hubbard in reading a dialogue between two characters unsubtly called Stronger Argument and Weaker Argument, featured in the "Clouds", as displaying hostility to the educational pederasty idealized in the poetry of the late archaic and early classical periods. Such a reading, however, completely escapes the spirit of the works of Aristophanes, who, as Andrew Lear observes, romanticizes the past and despairs of the present. It also escapes the spirit of the scene, in which the advocate of the pederastic ethos of yore is named Stronger Argument, while his opponent, who represents the democratic habits of the debauched present, is called Weaker Argument.
The same tendency exists in the treatment she gives to Roman sources. Barely a mention is made of Martial, whose voluminous work is the most extensive single source of Roman sexuality, its practices, values and prejudices. But Martial's preference for sex with boys over girls is contrary to the focus of the author.
Skinner also discusses female homosexuality, but her attempts to find non-judgmental references to this kind of love after Sappho are unconvincing. For her, vase paintings showing a woman resting a hand on a girl friend's back might be proof of a female homoerotic culture that must have been practiced openly and without stigma in the pre-Hellenistic period. A stretch, to say the least.
This book should be good for readers who are more heavily interested in the lives of women during classical antiquity, and in how female sexuality was seen by the men of those times. But for those who want a more comprehensive treatment of the erotics of Greco-Roman culture, or one more centered on homoeroticism, there are far better sources.
October 5, 2016
What Marilyn Skinner has done here is create that special type of textbook you only really get to find maybe every few years. I'm talking about the type that you can really sink into without it's air of academic moralizing and pedantic probing derailing you from the assembled content, and the content is engaging to be sure. The study of historical sexuality is a vibrant and relatively fresh field no matter what time period is examined but in this study Skinner focuses on Ancient Greece (Homeric, Early/Late Archaic, Classical, Early/Late Hellenistic) and Rome (Republic and Empire). It's clear that Skinner has more experience dealing with the Grecian side of things but the Roman world is certainly not slept on either.
What I love most about this guide to ancient sexuality is how often primary sources are contrasted with each other and how often Skinner will provide her own (often quite insightful) explanation of things. This book is far from being an echo of prior scholarship: Skinner has a tight grasp on the plethora of idea's contemporary (and not so contemporary) scholarship has when it comes to certain ideas, and she is not afraid to challenge or comment on concepts she thinks seem dubious or matured. Often enlightening and certainly guaranteed to help your knowledge of this growing field. Skinner's writing can be graceful and analytic within a heartbeat as well, and if anyone were to doubt her credentials for trying to tackle such an authoritative guide just check out her academic resume (22 pages) for some convincing reassurance. If you're eager to understand the complicated role of sex in classical mythology or maybe you just wanna figure out why the Ancient Greeks liked little boys, whatever it is, this is the book to start with.
What I love most about this guide to ancient sexuality is how often primary sources are contrasted with each other and how often Skinner will provide her own (often quite insightful) explanation of things. This book is far from being an echo of prior scholarship: Skinner has a tight grasp on the plethora of idea's contemporary (and not so contemporary) scholarship has when it comes to certain ideas, and she is not afraid to challenge or comment on concepts she thinks seem dubious or matured. Often enlightening and certainly guaranteed to help your knowledge of this growing field. Skinner's writing can be graceful and analytic within a heartbeat as well, and if anyone were to doubt her credentials for trying to tackle such an authoritative guide just check out her academic resume (22 pages) for some convincing reassurance. If you're eager to understand the complicated role of sex in classical mythology or maybe you just wanna figure out why the Ancient Greeks liked little boys, whatever it is, this is the book to start with.
October 14, 2016
This book is a textbook example (no pun intended) of how you can take a VERY interesting topic and tell it in such a ridiculously boring way that your readers will have to literally force themselves to read every page and end up losing all interest in the topic due to writer's horrible writing skills. This writer should take a writing class and learn how to write an interesting book before writing another book like this. This book had everything a boring and uninteresting book should have. If the author's intention was to bore her readers to death, she surely did an excellent job.
Worst of all, the book is not even titled correctly. When you look at the book's title, you expect to read about sexuality of Greeks and Romans in the old days but all the book talks about is how Greeks and Romans viewed homosexuality in the old days. The book's title should have been "Homosexuality in Greek and Roman Culture" because the current title is grossly misleading.
Worst of all, the book is not even titled correctly. When you look at the book's title, you expect to read about sexuality of Greeks and Romans in the old days but all the book talks about is how Greeks and Romans viewed homosexuality in the old days. The book's title should have been "Homosexuality in Greek and Roman Culture" because the current title is grossly misleading.
September 3, 2013
Excellent and thorough compendium of sexuality as demonstrated by art and culture (plays, poems) in ancient Greece and Rome. Art historians will be interested in this text as well, due to the many objets d'art shown and discussed. Overt and hidden sexuality is discussed, along with the impact it had on religion, politics, entertainment, and family life.
At the end of each chapter there are discussion questions and links for further understanding of the chapter's main ideas.
Notable also is the correlation drawn between gender identities in both ancient and modern times. Skinner's style is exacting and easy to follow, and she writes without judgement or censorship.
I took away a greater knowledge of Greek and Roman culture, as well as a better insight into the Ids of these fascinating people. This book will be referred to many times in the future.
At the end of each chapter there are discussion questions and links for further understanding of the chapter's main ideas.
Notable also is the correlation drawn between gender identities in both ancient and modern times. Skinner's style is exacting and easy to follow, and she writes without judgement or censorship.
I took away a greater knowledge of Greek and Roman culture, as well as a better insight into the Ids of these fascinating people. This book will be referred to many times in the future.
January 3, 2026
Not bad.
April 28, 2026
phenomenal book, genuinely so interesting.
January 18, 2013
A brilliant overview of issues regarding ancient Greek and Roman sexuality (an area that is marginalized in Classical studies even now, I feel, relative to its actual importance in understanding the Classics). Absolutely worth reading for the Classicist, not so much for the armchair enthusiast of ancient Greek and Roman studies . . .
December 25, 2013
Guess what, Ancient Greeks and Romans were very sexual. Being gay back then was normal. This is a great historical book on sexuality in Ancient Greece and Rome.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews