Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome

by L. J. Trafford

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome is an engaging and well written look at sexual mores and behaviour in ancient Rome presented by L. J. Trafford. Due out later in 2021 from Pen & Sword History, it's 192 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is a truly fascinating deep dive into the extant historical, cultural, and legal records from the Ancient world, chiefly Rome with brief forays into Greece, Africa, and other lands, partially in order to contrast the overwhelmingly male dominated Roman cultural mores of the time. The author is a capable tour guide and explains the vast differences in an accessible manner. Due to the paucity of surviving first person references, the necessary extrapolations she makes from secondary references and inferences are as carefully built up and reasonable as she can make them.

This is not a titillating book; there's little at which to thrill or gawp. Instead, it's a fascinating glimpse into a long vanished culture as foreign and odd to modern westerners as can be imagined. The information is gathered into chapters by theme: morality, the culture for men, women, eunuchs, beauty & fashion, frustration & infidelity, function & dysfunction, religious significance, adultery, homosexuality, undesirable liasons, imagery and cultural references, and the ruling classes (who pretty much had their own rules).

Although the book is well annotated throughout, the author has a light and humorous style and I found myself grinning often and even chuckling a few times at her witty repartee. Many of the rules, laws, and rigid cultural mores are/were quite bizarre and ridiculous to us (from our long distant viewpoint). She also does a good job of summoning compassion and pathos for the plight of slaves, freedmen, and women, most of whom had very very little (or no) control over their situations or lives.

The book mentions, but isn't overwhelmed by infamous historical characters (Caligula, Commodus, Nero, and others). In fact the author expends much effort visualising the everyday Romans who weren't writ large on the pages of history. It's copiously annotated throughout and the chapter notes and bibliography will provide readers many hours of background. There are also a number of photographs showing sculptures and artistic representations of many of the principal players as well as modern archaeological digsites and artifacts (note: some artifacts are NOT safe for work).

Five stars. This is an illuminating and interesting book of history and never dryly academic or boring. I had seven years of Latin at school and I -really- wish I'd had this book as a resource to enliven some of my school presentations. This would be a good selection for public library acquisition, home library, and for readers of history and culture.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.