Sexuality in Greek and Roman Literature and Society: A Sourcebook

by Johnson; Marguerite

• ISBN13: 9780415173308
• ISBN10: 0415173302
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-06-27
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This volume contains numerous original translations of ancient poetry, inscriptions, and documents, all of which illuminate the multifaceted nature of sexuality in antiquity. The detailed introduction provides full social and historical context for the sources, and guides students on how to use the material most effectively. Themes such as marriage, prostitution, and same-sex attraction are presented comparatively, with material from the Greek and Roman worlds shown side by side. This approach allows readers to interpret the written records with a full awareness of the different context of these separate but related societies. Commentaries are provided throughout, focusing on vocabulary and social and historical context. This is the first major sourcebook on ancient sexuality; it will be of particular use on related courses in classics/ancient history and gender studies.

Author Biography

Marguerite Johnson is a lecturer in the School of Humanities at the University of Newcastle, New South Wales.

Table of Contents

Index of passages cited	ix
List of illustrations	xvii
Preface	xix
Acknowledgements	xxi
List of abbreviations	xxiii
Introduction: a socio-sexual background to Greece and Rome	1	(17)
The divine sphere	18	(21)
Beauty	39	(22)
Marriage	61	(27)
Prostitution	88	(22)
Same-sex relationships	110	(26)
Sex and violence	136	(17)
Anxiety and repulsion	153	(21)
Aids and handbooks	174	(26)
Glossary of authors	200	(6)
Glossary of terms	206	(9)
Alphabetical author index of passages	215	(7)
Bibliography	222	(14)
Index	236