Joined by historian Honor Cargill-Martin, Tristan Hughes explores the real sex lives of ancient Rome.
From popular series to kinky paintings, there is a recurring image today of Romans as sex-mad degenerates. And although there are sex stories in the dozens from the Roman period, when it comes to their sex lives there is a lot to unpack.
In this video, Tristan Hughes takes a deep dive into the topic. Get ready: there are sexual references aplenty. He investigates the stories told by Roman authors and explores erotic imagery found in Roman sites across the Mediterranean and beyond. Who was it acceptable for Romans to marry? And why did gladiators become sex symbols?
Up Next in Ancient
-
Mary Beard on Women and Power
In Greek and Roman antiquity, women’s voices were proof of their wickedness. The pitch and prattle was considered harmful, even unsanitary. In literature, powerful women were emblems of usurpation and mortal danger. Women speaking in public could not only jeopardize the men close to them, but bri...
-
Rise and Fall of Roman Richborough
Richborough was one of the longest Roman-occupied sites in Britain, with history stretching from the Claudian invasion of Britain in 43 AD to the Roman departure almost 4 centuries later. During its long history Richborough transformed on several occasions. From military base to prosperous port t...
-
The Roman Republic
We've asked ancient historian and archaeologist Dr. Simon Elliott to answer the most googled questions about the roman empire.
12 Comments