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| © Copyright Vittorio Carvelli 2014 |
Introduction to erotic paintings and tales from the Ancient World
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| © Copyright Vittorio Carvelli 2014 |
'FORUM ROMANUM'
Vittorio Carvelli - 2012
HOMOEROTICISM IN ANCIENT ROME
Same-sex attitudes and behaviors in ancient Rome often differ markedly from those of the contemporary West.
The Latin language lacks words that would precisely translate "homosexual" and "heterosexual." The primary dichotomy of ancient Roman sexuality was active/dominant/masculine and passive/submissive/"feminized".
Roman society was patriarchal, and the freeborn male citizen possessed political liberty (libertas) and the right to rule both himself and those of his household (familia).
"Virtue" (virtus) was seen as an active quality through which a man (vir) defined himself.
The conquest mentality and "cult of virility" shaped same-sex relations.
Roman men were free to enjoy sex with other males without a perceived loss of masculinity or social status, as long as they took the dominant or penetrative role.
Acceptable male partners were slaves, prostitutes, and entertainers, whose lifestyle placed them in the nebulous social realm of 'infamia', excluded from the normal protections accorded a citizen even if they were technically free.
Although Roman men in general seem to have preferred youths between the ages of 12 and 20 as sexual partners, freeborn male minors were strictly off-limits, and professional prostitutes and entertainers might be considerably older.
It was expected and socially acceptable for a freeborn Roman man to want sex with both female and male partners, as long as he took the penetrative role.
The morality of the behavior depended on the social standing of the partner, not gender per se. Both women and young men were considered normal objects of desire, but outside marriage a man was supposed to act on his desires only with slaves, prostitutes (who were often slaves), and the infames. Gender did not determine whether a sexual partner was acceptable, as long as a man's enjoyment did not encroach on another's man integrity.
It was immoral to have sex with another freeborn man's wife, his marriageable daughter, his underage son, or with the man himself; sexual use of another man's slave was subject to the owner's permission.
Lack of self-control, including in managing one's sex life, indicated that a man was incapable of governing others; too much indulgence in "low sensual pleasure" threatened to erode the elite male's identity as a cultured person.
In the Imperial era, anxieties about the loss of political liberty and the subordination of the citizen to the emperor were expressed by a perceived increase in voluntary passive homosexual behaviour among free men, accompanied by a documentable increase in the execution and corporal punishment of citizens.
The dissolution of Republican ideals of physical integrity in relation to libertas contributes to, and is reflected by, the sexual license and decadence associated with the Empire.
Much of this sexual licence was seen in the theatre and the arena.
The Romans inherited the theatrical traditions of the Ancient Greeks, but in the early Empire actors were subsumed into the slave class.
As such, they lost the rights that citizens had over their bodies, and were viewed in very much the same way as prostitutes were.
After the death of Augustus, it became common for un-simulated sexual acts to be performed on stage, and in comedies it was a stock of many plots for an older citizen, often the master of the house, to allow himself to be sexually penetrated by a younger man - very often a slave-boy.
This was seen to be a salutatory lesson to the ruling classes to maintain their status and standing.
Regardless of passion or feeling, slaves were available for penetration, and masters were the ones who performed the penetration.
In addition, there was a slightly more sadistic aspect to these developments in the Roman theatre.
Many plays, often based on Greek and Roman myths and legends, involved the torture, mutilation or death of some of the characters.
With actors coming from the 'slave class', some of these parts were filled by slaves who had been condemned to be physically punished, or condemned to death.
Thus Orpheus would be seen to be torn apart by wild beasts, Icarus would fall to his death, Hercules would be burned alive on his funeral pyre, and Chronos would be castrated by Uranus - and all for real - on the stage.
Equally, the Munera, and more particularly the Ludi (Games), which often included scaenicus (theatrical interludes - similar to those appearing in the theatre), became subject to sexual licence.
On occasions gladiators simply had sex with attractive slave girls - but for most performances this was much too tame.
Eventually most gladiatorial contests took on the traditions of the Roman legions, where the victorious legionaries were encouraged to rape their male,captured opponents.
To this end, many of the gladiatorial contests mimicked the wars between Rome nad her enemies, so that supposedly Roman gladiators (they were usually Greeks) would fight Gauls, North Africans (Carthaginians) or Dacians, who would be ripe for rape when they were defeated.
And along with the rape there would be castration and various other mutilation before the defeated 'enemy' as finally 'finished off'.
It was expected and socially acceptable for a freeborn Roman man to want sex with both female and male partners, as long as he took the penetrative role.
The morality of the behavior depended on the social standing of the partner, not gender per se. Both women and young men were considered normal objects of desire, but outside marriage a man was supposed to act on his desires only with slaves, prostitutes (who were often slaves), and the infames. Gender did not determine whether a sexual partner was acceptable, as long as a man's enjoyment did not encroach on another's man integrity.
It was immoral to have sex with another freeborn man's wife, his marriageable daughter, his underage son, or with the man himself; sexual use of another man's slave was subject to the owner's permission.
Lack of self-control, including in managing one's sex life, indicated that a man was incapable of governing others; too much indulgence in "low sensual pleasure" threatened to erode the elite male's identity as a cultured person.
In the Imperial era, anxieties about the loss of political liberty and the subordination of the citizen to the emperor were expressed by a perceived increase in voluntary passive homosexual behaviour among free men, accompanied by a documentable increase in the execution and corporal punishment of citizens.
The dissolution of Republican ideals of physical integrity in relation to libertas contributes to, and is reflected by, the sexual license and decadence associated with the Empire.
Much of this sexual licence was seen in the theatre and the arena.
The Romans inherited the theatrical traditions of the Ancient Greeks, but in the early Empire actors were subsumed into the slave class.
As such, they lost the rights that citizens had over their bodies, and were viewed in very much the same way as prostitutes were.
After the death of Augustus, it became common for un-simulated sexual acts to be performed on stage, and in comedies it was a stock of many plots for an older citizen, often the master of the house, to allow himself to be sexually penetrated by a younger man - very often a slave-boy.
This was seen to be a salutatory lesson to the ruling classes to maintain their status and standing.
Regardless of passion or feeling, slaves were available for penetration, and masters were the ones who performed the penetration.
In addition, there was a slightly more sadistic aspect to these developments in the Roman theatre.
Many plays, often based on Greek and Roman myths and legends, involved the torture, mutilation or death of some of the characters.
With actors coming from the 'slave class', some of these parts were filled by slaves who had been condemned to be physically punished, or condemned to death.
Thus Orpheus would be seen to be torn apart by wild beasts, Icarus would fall to his death, Hercules would be burned alive on his funeral pyre, and Chronos would be castrated by Uranus - and all for real - on the stage.
| © Copyright Vittorio Carvelli 2013 |
'SPARTACUS LEGENDS I - NAKED ROMAN GLADIATORS'
Vittorio Carvelli
click on image and open in new tab for full size
Equally, the Munera, and more particularly the Ludi (Games), which often included scaenicus (theatrical interludes - similar to those appearing in the theatre), became subject to sexual licence.
On occasions gladiators simply had sex with attractive slave girls - but for most performances this was much too tame.
| © Copyright Vittorio Carvelli 2013 |
'SPARTACUS LEGENDS II - NAKED ROMAN GLADIATORS'
Vittorio Carvelli
click on image and open in new tab for full size
Eventually most gladiatorial contests took on the traditions of the Roman legions, where the victorious legionaries were encouraged to rape their male,captured opponents.
To this end, many of the gladiatorial contests mimicked the wars between Rome nad her enemies, so that supposedly Roman gladiators (they were usually Greeks) would fight Gauls, North Africans (Carthaginians) or Dacians, who would be ripe for rape when they were defeated.
And along with the rape there would be castration and various other mutilation before the defeated 'enemy' as finally 'finished off'.
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| © Copyright Vittorio Carvelli 2014 |
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