CC 302/347
INTRO TO ANCIENT ROME
Outline for
Lectures 10-11: Constructions of Sex & Gender
Roman Hetero- and Homosexuality
- no real concept of heterosexuality/homosexuality
- adult male's role is to penetrate - women, slaves, and
(in certain circumstances) boys
- this is an expression of power;: the less powerful are
the penetrated
- hence Roman aversion to relationships between adult
males
- prominent bisexuals:
- for Roman women, bisexual/homosexual behavior is not
tolerated
- anxiety over upper class women and gladiators (who are
sexualized). E.g. Juvenal's Eppia
Rape
- rape was less offensive to Romans than it is to us
- rape as foundation myth:
- rape often represents a "fresh start"
- cf. the New Comic "rape plot"
- e.g. Terence, The Mother in Law
- main characters:
- Pamphilus (the hero, a rapist)
- Philumena (his wife and, as is later discovered, his
rape victim)
- Bacchis (his former mistress)
- Laches & Sostrata (his father and mother)
Abortion
- in general the Romans were indifferent to abortion
- an example of this is an address of Ovid to his
girlfriend Corinna
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