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Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome
From Emperors and empresses, poets and prostitutes, slaves and plebs, Ancient Rome was a wealth of different experiences and expectations. None more so than around the subject of sex and sexuality. The image of Ancient Rome that has come down to us is one of sexual excess: emperors gripped by perversion partaking in pleasure with whomever and whatever they fancied during week long orgies. But how true are these tales of depravity? Was it really a sexual free for all? What were the laws surrounding sexual engagement? How did these vary according to gender and class? And what happened to those who transgressed the rules?
We invite you to climb into bed with the Romans to discover some very odd contraceptive devices, gather top tips on how to attract a partner and learn why you should avoid poets as lovers at all costs. Along the way we'll stumble across potions and spells, emperors and their favourites and some truly eye-popping interior decor choices.
We invite you to climb into bed with the Romans to discover some very odd contraceptive devices, gather top tips on how to attract a partner and learn why you should avoid poets as lovers at all costs. Along the way we'll stumble across potions and spells, emperors and their favourites and some truly eye-popping interior decor choices.
192 pages, Paperback
Published October 22, 2021
141 people are currently reading
481 people want to read
About the author
L.J. Trafford
15 books58 followersL.J. Trafford studied Ancient History at the University of Reading after which she took a job as a Tour Guide in the Lake District.
Moving to London in 2000 she began writing ‘The Four Emperors’ series. The series comprises four books – Palatine, Galba’s Men, Otho’s Regret and Vitellius’ Feast – which cover the dramatic fall of Nero and the chaotic year of the four emperors that followed.
Palatine, published in 2015, received an Editor’s Choice Mark from the Historical Novel Society. Her first book for Pen and Sword, How to Survive in Ancient Rome was published in October 2020.
Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome was published in 2021
Moving to London in 2000 she began writing ‘The Four Emperors’ series. The series comprises four books – Palatine, Galba’s Men, Otho’s Regret and Vitellius’ Feast – which cover the dramatic fall of Nero and the chaotic year of the four emperors that followed.
Palatine, published in 2015, received an Editor’s Choice Mark from the Historical Novel Society. Her first book for Pen and Sword, How to Survive in Ancient Rome was published in October 2020.
Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome was published in 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
July 18, 2021
This book gave an intriguing whistle-stop-tour on sex and sexuality in Rome, including its practices, laws and views.
This was a super fascinating book! Delving into topics such as the Morality Laws introduced by Augustus; the ideals of virtuous men and chaste women; the differences of law between freed people and freed born; love potions; homosexuality; prostitutes; and the all important salacious lives of the emperors.
This book was just filled with so many fascinating facts that I’ve ended up making a tonne of notes. I enjoyed learning how Romans viewed sex and sexuality, and how these changed later when Christianity was introduced and perceptions/laws shifted. Examples include how there is no Roman equivalent of the word homosexuality- you were not defined by the gender you were attracted to/having sex with, but rather by the act that you partook in. I learned the preferences for hair on both males and females (I had no clue that back then it was usual to be fully bare from the shoulders down in some cases). I also enjoyed learning and taking notice of the rather debauchery lifestyles of some of the Emperors and their wives or mistresses, and how they would implement their status to get around Morality laws.
Overall this book was such a fun and informative read. The author was also SUPER witty and it was just such a joy to read! Think the wittiness and sarcasm of Mary Beard and Natalie Haynes- and if you enjoy their work you’ll also like this authors prose.
The cover of this book immediately drew my eye and after reading the title I immediately requested it.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this Arc.
This was a super fascinating book! Delving into topics such as the Morality Laws introduced by Augustus; the ideals of virtuous men and chaste women; the differences of law between freed people and freed born; love potions; homosexuality; prostitutes; and the all important salacious lives of the emperors.
This book was just filled with so many fascinating facts that I’ve ended up making a tonne of notes. I enjoyed learning how Romans viewed sex and sexuality, and how these changed later when Christianity was introduced and perceptions/laws shifted. Examples include how there is no Roman equivalent of the word homosexuality- you were not defined by the gender you were attracted to/having sex with, but rather by the act that you partook in. I learned the preferences for hair on both males and females (I had no clue that back then it was usual to be fully bare from the shoulders down in some cases). I also enjoyed learning and taking notice of the rather debauchery lifestyles of some of the Emperors and their wives or mistresses, and how they would implement their status to get around Morality laws.
Overall this book was such a fun and informative read. The author was also SUPER witty and it was just such a joy to read! Think the wittiness and sarcasm of Mary Beard and Natalie Haynes- and if you enjoy their work you’ll also like this authors prose.
The cover of this book immediately drew my eye and after reading the title I immediately requested it.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this Arc.
August 28, 2024
This was almost a 4 star book. The writing is witty and sometimes laugh out loud funny and the topic is interesting and explored in breadth and depth. However there were times that it dragged and sometimes the book didn’t seem to know how to balance its tone. Amidst the cheeky asides and winking puns, there were anecdotes such as the one about Sejanus’ daughter that were so heartbreaking I couldn’t stopping thinking about it for days. Obviously you have to discuss the horrible as well as the amusing, but for me they were sometimes so close together that it made the horrible parts feel trivialized and the cheeky parts land with a thud.
January 4, 2024
This was disappointing for me, neither a well written history of sex and sexuality in Rome, nor a salacious telling of stories. The book did not really know what it wanted to do, various tellings of some of the moral practices and laws of Ancient Rome, but not really in any manner that made sense or built up a case for anything. Not for me, gave up at 16%.
July 4, 2023
So the author keeps mentioning various ummm forms? Of acceptable vs non acceptable sexual persuasions? I’m really not sure how to phrase this to encapsulate all of the subtopics of sexuality of the ancient Romans. All I know is every time some sort of concrete example is discussed(art, glassware, mosaics, etc) all I can picture is that fantastic dinner scene in The Birdcage when they eat off the fine china and the wife left her glasses in the car. The boys are playing leap frog….
August 11, 2021
Really good historical as well as entertaining book about sex and sexuality in Ancient Rome, mostly dominated by the free males. Though it starts with juicy details about penises in Pompej and other places, it then covers several topics like gender, beauty, love, magic and religion, power, sexuality with men/women/eunuchs etc. and everything that was forbidden too. Very well researched and being open if something is not clarified. Though some of Trafford´s remarks are funny, I thought some were also unnecessarily flippant. On the whole a great and easy read, especially when you´re familiar with poets and politicians of Ancient Rome.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.
June 30, 2021
The sexual politics, policies, preferences, peculiarities and predilections of Ancient Romans are laid bare (as it were) in this wildly amusing and informative guide to the red light districts of the antiquities (as it were).
It’s nearly impossible to do a serious review of this book, because well, you know…but the thing is it is at its base a credible work of scholarship and research, informative, educational, edifying, all that.
And Romans certainly left a lot to work with, from their bawdy poetry to their bodacious graffiti to their bold personal accounts. It’s all about as wild and naughty and male centric as you’d expect from the people who had something like 120 words in their language for a penis. Which was also their preferred and most auspicious graffiti tag.
The Ancient Roman society was strictly patriarchal as were its recorders, so what’s been passed down through generations is a culture where men ruled and women were bought, sold and traded for political power, dowries, etc. Men essentially made all the decisions and went to all the wars. Which may have had some fairness since love had none. But at least divorces were easily obtained.
The average marriage age started at 12. The number of kids to have for a woman to prove oneself as a valid member of society and get some government perks was three, despite the high mortality rates for children and risks for mothers. The women had virtually no rights. Although the society had a large slave base, so the women were never quite at the bottom of the social ranks.
The boys officially became men at 15. And then they partied. A lot. That is, of course, an oversimplification, but it isn’t inaccurate.
Then again there was also eunuchs and slaves and freedmen/women and all sorts of class rules governing those divisions.
And then there was the man/boy love, enough of it to put the Greeks to shame. The ever so popular preference for men to lay with boys, ideally much younger ones, in a sort of pervert/pedagogue position. There was a ton of rules for these relationships, but essentially so long as the man was the top, it was fair play and challenged his manliness not at all. In fact, the Romans barely differentiated sex by gender, opting for the sex acts themselves. To which they ascribed various degrees of shame according to their concepts of things like virtus (what a man ought to be like), etc.
It is quite telling that the lesbian relationships in the book cover all of maybe three pages, while the male homosexual ones go on, and on and on like a creepy energizer bunny.
Apparently, those were their pagan ways and until the ascent of Christianity shamed them into recognizing it as sin, they were all about it.
But whoever they did it with and however much they bragged/b*itched about it in their poetry, the ancient romans got around. And this book will help you get your mind around how they did it. It’s a very well rounded and concise account that covers great many areas and uncovers just as many and does it all hilariously. In fact, this is exactly how I like my nonfiction and who wouldn’t want to be taught and amused at the same time, occasionally to the laugh out loud levels. I absolutely loved the tone the author chose for this book, in a way it perfectly matched its contents. There’s plenty of photos too, for those who can’t quite make it to the museum to check out the stunningly racy art the Romans left behind, behinds and all. A bunch of perverts…just like the rest of us.
All in all, a great read. I enjoyed it very much. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
It’s nearly impossible to do a serious review of this book, because well, you know…but the thing is it is at its base a credible work of scholarship and research, informative, educational, edifying, all that.
And Romans certainly left a lot to work with, from their bawdy poetry to their bodacious graffiti to their bold personal accounts. It’s all about as wild and naughty and male centric as you’d expect from the people who had something like 120 words in their language for a penis. Which was also their preferred and most auspicious graffiti tag.
The Ancient Roman society was strictly patriarchal as were its recorders, so what’s been passed down through generations is a culture where men ruled and women were bought, sold and traded for political power, dowries, etc. Men essentially made all the decisions and went to all the wars. Which may have had some fairness since love had none. But at least divorces were easily obtained.
The average marriage age started at 12. The number of kids to have for a woman to prove oneself as a valid member of society and get some government perks was three, despite the high mortality rates for children and risks for mothers. The women had virtually no rights. Although the society had a large slave base, so the women were never quite at the bottom of the social ranks.
The boys officially became men at 15. And then they partied. A lot. That is, of course, an oversimplification, but it isn’t inaccurate.
Then again there was also eunuchs and slaves and freedmen/women and all sorts of class rules governing those divisions.
And then there was the man/boy love, enough of it to put the Greeks to shame. The ever so popular preference for men to lay with boys, ideally much younger ones, in a sort of pervert/pedagogue position. There was a ton of rules for these relationships, but essentially so long as the man was the top, it was fair play and challenged his manliness not at all. In fact, the Romans barely differentiated sex by gender, opting for the sex acts themselves. To which they ascribed various degrees of shame according to their concepts of things like virtus (what a man ought to be like), etc.
It is quite telling that the lesbian relationships in the book cover all of maybe three pages, while the male homosexual ones go on, and on and on like a creepy energizer bunny.
Apparently, those were their pagan ways and until the ascent of Christianity shamed them into recognizing it as sin, they were all about it.
But whoever they did it with and however much they bragged/b*itched about it in their poetry, the ancient romans got around. And this book will help you get your mind around how they did it. It’s a very well rounded and concise account that covers great many areas and uncovers just as many and does it all hilariously. In fact, this is exactly how I like my nonfiction and who wouldn’t want to be taught and amused at the same time, occasionally to the laugh out loud levels. I absolutely loved the tone the author chose for this book, in a way it perfectly matched its contents. There’s plenty of photos too, for those who can’t quite make it to the museum to check out the stunningly racy art the Romans left behind, behinds and all. A bunch of perverts…just like the rest of us.
All in all, a great read. I enjoyed it very much. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
May 30, 2025
Who isn’t fascinated by the sex lives of the Romans? Not least – in my case – because of the resemblance between the domestic arrangements of some of the seedier Emperors and some of my own equally colourful relatives. Certainly, there is much detail here which I learned for the first time – for example, that the Roman dislike of circumcision was such that the penalty – either for having it done to oneself or to a slave – was property confiscation and/or exile, while the doctor was executed. This is surprisingly harsh (though there were exemptions for the Jews).
An interesting aspect – and perhaps a counter intuitive one for many – is that “the behaviour of a citizen in the privacy of their bedroom...was of deep public concern.” The limits of what was acceptable were drawn differently to ours, but the limits were there nevertheless. Giving pleasure to others in public was considered abhorrent – this is what prostitutes, slaves and actors did, and is at the root of the abhorrence for Nero’s stage performances.
There are numerous problems with this book, though, and the main one is stylistic. Sometimes the style is witty and amusing, and the subject matter does often lend itself to that – but at other times it is ill matched and feels dismayingly silly or inappropriate, especially when we are dealing with the coercive or the stomach churning. Occasionally one feels the author has missed the point – such as the mysterious Lex Scantinia (we can say a bit more about what it might mean than the author does) or the Warren Cup (a very partial discussion which seems to me to completely miss the point).
All in all this was something of a disappointment, mainly because of the joky style. I am not tempted to incorporate any Roman customs described here into my own domestic life – with one possible exception – I am tempted to emulate the Emperor Lucius Verus and grow a beard so that I can sprinkle it with gold dust.
An interesting aspect – and perhaps a counter intuitive one for many – is that “the behaviour of a citizen in the privacy of their bedroom...was of deep public concern.” The limits of what was acceptable were drawn differently to ours, but the limits were there nevertheless. Giving pleasure to others in public was considered abhorrent – this is what prostitutes, slaves and actors did, and is at the root of the abhorrence for Nero’s stage performances.
There are numerous problems with this book, though, and the main one is stylistic. Sometimes the style is witty and amusing, and the subject matter does often lend itself to that – but at other times it is ill matched and feels dismayingly silly or inappropriate, especially when we are dealing with the coercive or the stomach churning. Occasionally one feels the author has missed the point – such as the mysterious Lex Scantinia (we can say a bit more about what it might mean than the author does) or the Warren Cup (a very partial discussion which seems to me to completely miss the point).
All in all this was something of a disappointment, mainly because of the joky style. I am not tempted to incorporate any Roman customs described here into my own domestic life – with one possible exception – I am tempted to emulate the Emperor Lucius Verus and grow a beard so that I can sprinkle it with gold dust.
July 14, 2022
When you think of Ancient Rome, what often comes to mind is debauchery coupled with almost puritanical morals. Orgies. Vestal Virgins. Nero and Caligula. You know, the juicy stuff that peppered both HBO and PBS.
But what was the truth? Is it closer to the sex fueled fantasies of 1970s x-rated films and pearl clutching Christian saints? Or is it the dry and politics heavy shenanigans of I, Claudius.
The truth is amusingly revealed in this really fun historical quick-read by LJ Trafford.
--
First off, I need to level with you. I got this book because of the cover. This is one of my favorite paintings in the history of ever (Lorenzo Lotto’s Venus and Cupid) and every time I go to the MET in NYC I have to spend some time communing with it. It’s just that bonkers and fun and faboo. (I have a thing for odd Renaissance and Medieval art.)
So I should have been clued in that by selecting this picture the book itself is also just as fun and whimsical as the painting, and like the painting there is a whole lot more going on when you scratch the surface. Using primary sources of the day, Trafford explains that like many cultures and civilizations that there was nuance and hypocrisy when it came to Ancient Roman views on sex and sexuality. And that like many ancient (and let’s face it, modern) civilizations that the expectations differed between classes and genders.
The book is written in an amazingly readable format, and I often found myself laughing out loud at several turns of phrase. I managed to read this book while undergoing treatment for two different kinds of cancer and it was just the distraction I needed. The author was a tour guide in a previous life and it shows. The way the history and primary resources are presented are geared for a lay audience who wants to learn more after binging HBO’s Rome or Masterpiece Theater’s I, Claudius.
Readers do need to be aware that there is a lot of swear words, but this shouldn’t be surprising considering the graffiti that has survived from the period. It can be shocking if you think of Rome as a bunch of stuffy senators and pearl-clutching early Christians. But Rome is/was a very earthy and messy place (often literally) and this book doesn’t shy away from that.
I honestly enjoyed it.
Five Stars.
I received an ARC via NetGalley.
**Review delayed due to cancer.
But what was the truth? Is it closer to the sex fueled fantasies of 1970s x-rated films and pearl clutching Christian saints? Or is it the dry and politics heavy shenanigans of I, Claudius.
The truth is amusingly revealed in this really fun historical quick-read by LJ Trafford.
--
First off, I need to level with you. I got this book because of the cover. This is one of my favorite paintings in the history of ever (Lorenzo Lotto’s Venus and Cupid) and every time I go to the MET in NYC I have to spend some time communing with it. It’s just that bonkers and fun and faboo. (I have a thing for odd Renaissance and Medieval art.)
So I should have been clued in that by selecting this picture the book itself is also just as fun and whimsical as the painting, and like the painting there is a whole lot more going on when you scratch the surface. Using primary sources of the day, Trafford explains that like many cultures and civilizations that there was nuance and hypocrisy when it came to Ancient Roman views on sex and sexuality. And that like many ancient (and let’s face it, modern) civilizations that the expectations differed between classes and genders.
The book is written in an amazingly readable format, and I often found myself laughing out loud at several turns of phrase. I managed to read this book while undergoing treatment for two different kinds of cancer and it was just the distraction I needed. The author was a tour guide in a previous life and it shows. The way the history and primary resources are presented are geared for a lay audience who wants to learn more after binging HBO’s Rome or Masterpiece Theater’s I, Claudius.
Readers do need to be aware that there is a lot of swear words, but this shouldn’t be surprising considering the graffiti that has survived from the period. It can be shocking if you think of Rome as a bunch of stuffy senators and pearl-clutching early Christians. But Rome is/was a very earthy and messy place (often literally) and this book doesn’t shy away from that.
I honestly enjoyed it.
Five Stars.
I received an ARC via NetGalley.
**Review delayed due to cancer.
September 1, 2025
Kindle Unlimited (Season 0, Book 2)
This was a cute pop history and I enjoyed reading it. Unfortunately, there was a distracting amount of missing commas, typos, and even, once, repeated words. It needed another pass during editing, but that’s not surprising coming from Pen & Sword.
This was a cute pop history and I enjoyed reading it. Unfortunately, there was a distracting amount of missing commas, typos, and even, once, repeated words. It needed another pass during editing, but that’s not surprising coming from Pen & Sword.
February 17, 2025
as a classics major and someone with an interest in sex and sexuality as a general topic, this book piqued my interest. it is decent as a jumping-off point for further study, but does not serve as a comprehensive guide of any sort and should not be mistaken as such.
as an english major, oh my eyeballs. my poor eyeballs. this was an evisceration of the english language. punctuation found dead in a ditch in miami.
i don’t think i’ve written a proper goodreads review since i was forced to read the founding brothers for my ap us history class almost a decade ago, but i cannot bear to see people calling this “well-written.” this needed at least, at least two more passes by an editor. the punctuation, when used, was used incorrectly—commas abound where there should have been em dashes, semicolons, colons, or even a sentence break. oxford comma? she’s dead. zero commas where there should have been. this book is a run-on sentence lover’s wet dream. sentence fragments galore.
typos. holy god, the typos. a small sampling of the ones i noticed:
- pasiphae is spelled incorrectly as paisphae four out of the five times it comes up (the one time it was spelled correctly was in a quotation)
- smyrna is misspelled as symrna
- elagabalus is once misspelled as elagbalus, within the same paragraph (iirc) as its correct spelling
- trimalchio, of satyricon fame, is misspelled the two times his name makes an appearance (timalchio and trimalcho, respectively)
and these are just the ones i caught. i wouldn’t be surprised if there were at least a handful of others that i missed.
the subject matter itself is not engaging. there are weak attempts at synthesis with the information presented to us, and the author engages only with primary sources—little to nothing of substance is said of current scholarship on the subject. conclusions are drawn with little evidence in a way that became grating, and at one point a claim is made (and forgive me for paraphrasing, but i simply do not have the mental fortitude to go looking for the quote) that we know very little about women’s sex and sexuality in ancient rome because that’s just the way it was. while i do not deny the rampant misogyny of ancient rome, and of pretty much all of history thereafter, that felt like a very definitive statement to make, and i cannot help but feel an incorrect definitive statement. surely, for a book published in 2021, more could have been said?
overall, i went into this book excited. it was my nonfiction pick for my personal reading challenge for february, and now i am left yearning for anything more in-depth and far better-edited to read on the subject.
as an english major, oh my eyeballs. my poor eyeballs. this was an evisceration of the english language. punctuation found dead in a ditch in miami.
i don’t think i’ve written a proper goodreads review since i was forced to read the founding brothers for my ap us history class almost a decade ago, but i cannot bear to see people calling this “well-written.” this needed at least, at least two more passes by an editor. the punctuation, when used, was used incorrectly—commas abound where there should have been em dashes, semicolons, colons, or even a sentence break. oxford comma? she’s dead. zero commas where there should have been. this book is a run-on sentence lover’s wet dream. sentence fragments galore.
typos. holy god, the typos. a small sampling of the ones i noticed:
- pasiphae is spelled incorrectly as paisphae four out of the five times it comes up (the one time it was spelled correctly was in a quotation)
- smyrna is misspelled as symrna
- elagabalus is once misspelled as elagbalus, within the same paragraph (iirc) as its correct spelling
- trimalchio, of satyricon fame, is misspelled the two times his name makes an appearance (timalchio and trimalcho, respectively)
and these are just the ones i caught. i wouldn’t be surprised if there were at least a handful of others that i missed.
the subject matter itself is not engaging. there are weak attempts at synthesis with the information presented to us, and the author engages only with primary sources—little to nothing of substance is said of current scholarship on the subject. conclusions are drawn with little evidence in a way that became grating, and at one point a claim is made (and forgive me for paraphrasing, but i simply do not have the mental fortitude to go looking for the quote) that we know very little about women’s sex and sexuality in ancient rome because that’s just the way it was. while i do not deny the rampant misogyny of ancient rome, and of pretty much all of history thereafter, that felt like a very definitive statement to make, and i cannot help but feel an incorrect definitive statement. surely, for a book published in 2021, more could have been said?
overall, i went into this book excited. it was my nonfiction pick for my personal reading challenge for february, and now i am left yearning for anything more in-depth and far better-edited to read on the subject.
August 2, 2021
A casual and yet compelling account of Rome’s view on sexuality.
The general perception of classical Rome is one of debauchery, but we also have an image of her as the creator of arts and intellectual thought. The author L. J. Trafford shows us how this culture in which sexuality is very important grew, and how it affected the daily life of the Romans even causing the creation of new laws (Leges Juliae, Lex Papia et Poppaea). One of the reasons why sex and sexuality were very normal topics in the upper echelons of society could be summarized with this comment by the author: “The link between greed and excess was so established in the Roman mind that whenever we find laws aimed at controlling sexual behavior, we also find sumptuary laws limiting prices or access to luxury goods. Any Roman who displayed an excessive love of luxury was bound to show similar excesses in their sexual life”. In other words, a life of luxury entailed an intrinsic relationship to an intense sex life. Therefore, in our minds we have a clear image of the brazen life of Caligula, Nero or Commodus. The lives of middle-class civilians already had sex very much in mind and the very fact that the actions of their emperors have reached us today, goes to show that the things they did, even the population of that time thought were a bit too much. One of the ways in which we see how the Romans viewed sex is through their literature: from Artemidorus’ interpretations of dreams to Ovid’s poems and advice on how to seduce a woman. And what connects those works of literature to the layman is language, a subject to which Trafford dedicates a very necessary space, since it is through this that the Romans often insulted themselves using sexual images to subdue the opponent (being the worst insults about the lack of masculinity of the other party). When some citizens or emperors deviated from what were the ‘moral behavior’ or what was considered a decent attitude, it was the censors who imposed the traditional rules of deportment. But what was the exemplary image of a virtuous man or woman? The author gives some examples with Lucrecia (wife of King Tarquin Superbus) and Cincinnatus who was made dictator twice to fight a battle and after this, returned his power to the People. Not only does this book break down what the intimate relationships of the Romans were like (with explicit detail), but there is also space for beauty and hairstyle tips, the lives of eunuchs and hermaphrodites, Vestal Virgins and homosexuals (an idea that was very different for them). While the primary sources are very varied, and sometimes thankfully obscure, Trafford maintains a casual but not too colloquial tone, that’s why sometimes through the book one would believe that he is reading a tabloid exposing someone’s dirty secrets.
Taking information from many different sources, with an entertaining voice, and focusing on niche topics well compartmentalized throughout, this book has pertinent information for all types of readers, be they academic or first-timers. This is a much needed and loquacious compilation on the dirtiest secrets of Classical Rome. ~
The general perception of classical Rome is one of debauchery, but we also have an image of her as the creator of arts and intellectual thought. The author L. J. Trafford shows us how this culture in which sexuality is very important grew, and how it affected the daily life of the Romans even causing the creation of new laws (Leges Juliae, Lex Papia et Poppaea). One of the reasons why sex and sexuality were very normal topics in the upper echelons of society could be summarized with this comment by the author: “The link between greed and excess was so established in the Roman mind that whenever we find laws aimed at controlling sexual behavior, we also find sumptuary laws limiting prices or access to luxury goods. Any Roman who displayed an excessive love of luxury was bound to show similar excesses in their sexual life”. In other words, a life of luxury entailed an intrinsic relationship to an intense sex life. Therefore, in our minds we have a clear image of the brazen life of Caligula, Nero or Commodus. The lives of middle-class civilians already had sex very much in mind and the very fact that the actions of their emperors have reached us today, goes to show that the things they did, even the population of that time thought were a bit too much. One of the ways in which we see how the Romans viewed sex is through their literature: from Artemidorus’ interpretations of dreams to Ovid’s poems and advice on how to seduce a woman. And what connects those works of literature to the layman is language, a subject to which Trafford dedicates a very necessary space, since it is through this that the Romans often insulted themselves using sexual images to subdue the opponent (being the worst insults about the lack of masculinity of the other party). When some citizens or emperors deviated from what were the ‘moral behavior’ or what was considered a decent attitude, it was the censors who imposed the traditional rules of deportment. But what was the exemplary image of a virtuous man or woman? The author gives some examples with Lucrecia (wife of King Tarquin Superbus) and Cincinnatus who was made dictator twice to fight a battle and after this, returned his power to the People. Not only does this book break down what the intimate relationships of the Romans were like (with explicit detail), but there is also space for beauty and hairstyle tips, the lives of eunuchs and hermaphrodites, Vestal Virgins and homosexuals (an idea that was very different for them). While the primary sources are very varied, and sometimes thankfully obscure, Trafford maintains a casual but not too colloquial tone, that’s why sometimes through the book one would believe that he is reading a tabloid exposing someone’s dirty secrets.
Taking information from many different sources, with an entertaining voice, and focusing on niche topics well compartmentalized throughout, this book has pertinent information for all types of readers, be they academic or first-timers. This is a much needed and loquacious compilation on the dirtiest secrets of Classical Rome. ~
February 6, 2025
Don't be all judgey, it was very interesting.
August 4, 2022
super interesting and funny!
June 20, 2021
It isn't often that a book so totally changes my view of anything as this latest offering from the erudite and witty Trafford did of Ancient Rome. I'd always thought of the Romans as a clean-minded, clean-living sort of people - it's the image I was given of them in primary school, and I'd never really questioned it.
In this exploration of their sexual mores, though, I saw a people so different than I'd imagined - not just in their morality, but in their world view, in some ways more alien to my own than those of countries with cultures I've been accustomed to think of as far more 'foreign', such as Japan.
We are fortunate to have an historian of such rigour to tease out this fascinating view. Although the salacious anecdotes are sometimes shocking and often hilarious, it is in this new way of seeing the Romans that the book really shines, and in showing us it, Trafford affords us a tantalising glimpse into the arts and methods of the historian.
I hope there will be more books in this vein from the author, I could envisage a whole series, each dealing with a particular perspective on Roman life. I'm not sure whether the book was more enjoyable or more instructive, but as both scores pretty well maxed out, it doesn't really matter.
In this exploration of their sexual mores, though, I saw a people so different than I'd imagined - not just in their morality, but in their world view, in some ways more alien to my own than those of countries with cultures I've been accustomed to think of as far more 'foreign', such as Japan.
We are fortunate to have an historian of such rigour to tease out this fascinating view. Although the salacious anecdotes are sometimes shocking and often hilarious, it is in this new way of seeing the Romans that the book really shines, and in showing us it, Trafford affords us a tantalising glimpse into the arts and methods of the historian.
I hope there will be more books in this vein from the author, I could envisage a whole series, each dealing with a particular perspective on Roman life. I'm not sure whether the book was more enjoyable or more instructive, but as both scores pretty well maxed out, it doesn't really matter.
March 27, 2024
Although the title suggest we are going to learn only about sex, this book, goes more far than that
'Sex and sexuality in Ancient Rome' can be read as a history book, with all what it implies. Sexuality, love, magic, women, men, social manners, deep complex ideals and ways from ancient Rome... you will learn about all those things.
Now, my knowledge about ancient Rome is not huge, as my main interest have always belonged to Greeks, so if you are a classicist I'm sure you can find some things that could have been better. Since I'm not, this book was really key to have a big and easy idea of all these themes that are their selves truly complicated and required a huge research
Is not doubt that the work from L.J. Trafford is amazing, the read of this book is so easy, so captivating that you easily devour it and end up learning a lot of things that you only have clichés about.
I truly recommend it to you all
'Sex and sexuality in Ancient Rome' can be read as a history book, with all what it implies. Sexuality, love, magic, women, men, social manners, deep complex ideals and ways from ancient Rome... you will learn about all those things.
Now, my knowledge about ancient Rome is not huge, as my main interest have always belonged to Greeks, so if you are a classicist I'm sure you can find some things that could have been better. Since I'm not, this book was really key to have a big and easy idea of all these themes that are their selves truly complicated and required a huge research
Is not doubt that the work from L.J. Trafford is amazing, the read of this book is so easy, so captivating that you easily devour it and end up learning a lot of things that you only have clichés about.
I truly recommend it to you all
December 11, 2021
I suspect a lot of people reading this book would be in for a surprise. Many folk think of ancient Rome as an incredibly licentious time and place. And maybe, if you were among the super-wealthy, it could be true (how many tales of what emperors got up to were put about by their political enemies will never be known).
What the Romans excelled at was keeping record of their laws ... and that's why we know that sexual behavior was very much regimented. Who could marry, mess about with, and do what acts with whom was a legal matter rather than a private one ...and L.J. Trafford spells it all out.
If you are one who clutches pearls over George Carlin's "seven words you can't say on TV," this may not be the book for you. The translations employed in this book are blunt, to say the least. If you are one who believes words have only the power we give them, it probably won't bother you much.
We get an excellent look at sexuality in a patriarchal society here, with no punches pulled. Discussions of same-sex relationships occur alongside those of opposite-sex relationships; ancient Romans didn't have a concept of "homosexual," but rather one of dominant/submissive ... and who was expected to play what role.
The book is well-researched (there's a lengthy bibliography of primary and secondary sources), and entertaining. Highly recommended for those who wish a better understanding of the time period through the lens of the most personal of relationships.
What the Romans excelled at was keeping record of their laws ... and that's why we know that sexual behavior was very much regimented. Who could marry, mess about with, and do what acts with whom was a legal matter rather than a private one ...and L.J. Trafford spells it all out.
If you are one who clutches pearls over George Carlin's "seven words you can't say on TV," this may not be the book for you. The translations employed in this book are blunt, to say the least. If you are one who believes words have only the power we give them, it probably won't bother you much.
We get an excellent look at sexuality in a patriarchal society here, with no punches pulled. Discussions of same-sex relationships occur alongside those of opposite-sex relationships; ancient Romans didn't have a concept of "homosexual," but rather one of dominant/submissive ... and who was expected to play what role.
The book is well-researched (there's a lengthy bibliography of primary and secondary sources), and entertaining. Highly recommended for those who wish a better understanding of the time period through the lens of the most personal of relationships.
January 29, 2025
Recently, I have tried to get better about DNF-ing books that I know won't serve me any purpose. However, there can certainly be value in finishing books even when you don't want to. By reading a book that makes you mad, you come out with a stronger idea of self and your literary tastes. This is one such book - by page 10, I wanted to put this down, but alas, I suffered through it. Yes, suffered.
While I could go on and on about the structural and organizational issues in this book, I am most compelled to comment on the bigger picture here.
As I finished this book, I couldn't help but reflect on what qualifications an author needs in order to write a solid and effective history book. I have always tried to steer clear of being an elitist, academic snob who won't read anything unless it's written by an scholar in their ivory tower. I am well aware of the socio-economic barriers that block so many brilliant minds from obtaining a degree that will add a few initials before their name. One of the best things about the American experiment is the first amendment - you're allowed to write whatever you want (exceptions of course), and can either seek out a private company to publish your words OR do it yourself - no degrees required. I love this aspect of the twenty-first century.
However.
There are certain conventions that I think are absolutely imperative to producing an alluring history book. I am not advocating here for staying inside the box - that is the very last thing a historian should do. Rather, in order to pay adequate homage to those lives that came before us, there are fallacies that we simply must avoid. For just one example, jumping to grand conclusions based on a single sentence of a single source that has questionable origins in the first place. How dare we assume the intentions or motivation of someone from thousands of years ago, without sufficient evidence? Of course, I am always pleased to see an author cite so many primary sources, however, consistently faulty and vague analysis renders their use completely ineffectual and elementary.
I understand the appeal of this book. Ancient Rome is an incredibly seductive period in history, and it will be studied until (hopefully after) robots and AI take over every aspect of our lives. I get it. There will always, always be room for new interpretations of Roman history. But I think the Romans deserve better than this.
While I could go on and on about the structural and organizational issues in this book, I am most compelled to comment on the bigger picture here.
As I finished this book, I couldn't help but reflect on what qualifications an author needs in order to write a solid and effective history book. I have always tried to steer clear of being an elitist, academic snob who won't read anything unless it's written by an scholar in their ivory tower. I am well aware of the socio-economic barriers that block so many brilliant minds from obtaining a degree that will add a few initials before their name. One of the best things about the American experiment is the first amendment - you're allowed to write whatever you want (exceptions of course), and can either seek out a private company to publish your words OR do it yourself - no degrees required. I love this aspect of the twenty-first century.
However.
There are certain conventions that I think are absolutely imperative to producing an alluring history book. I am not advocating here for staying inside the box - that is the very last thing a historian should do. Rather, in order to pay adequate homage to those lives that came before us, there are fallacies that we simply must avoid. For just one example, jumping to grand conclusions based on a single sentence of a single source that has questionable origins in the first place. How dare we assume the intentions or motivation of someone from thousands of years ago, without sufficient evidence? Of course, I am always pleased to see an author cite so many primary sources, however, consistently faulty and vague analysis renders their use completely ineffectual and elementary.
I understand the appeal of this book. Ancient Rome is an incredibly seductive period in history, and it will be studied until (hopefully after) robots and AI take over every aspect of our lives. I get it. There will always, always be room for new interpretations of Roman history. But I think the Romans deserve better than this.
August 15, 2021
I was provided with this ARC for a review from Netgalley. Originally posted on my blog.
With this one, the entire premise of the book is in the title- Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome. Trafford begins by outlining the language used in Ancient Rome that has anything to do with sex or sexuality, she introduces these concepts and then explains them so you’re aren’t left lost throughout the book when they inevitably come up again. She then travels through the intricate and somewhat scandalous history of sex in Ancient Rome from the perfect virtuous man and the ideal chaste woman, to how to find a woman and who you are and are not meant to be seen fondling in the forum. She details erotic wall paintings and statues, the concept of witchcraft, the tantalising beauty and fashion and what was all the rage to help you pull on the streets of Rome. Not to mention, Trafford takes it upon herself to tell us all about the sexual exploits of the most well-known figures from Ancient Rome, and she does all this with ample evidence (both textual and archaeological). In short, Trafford answers everything you have ever wanted (and really not wanted) to know about sex and sexuality in Ancient Rome!
Sex was very much on public display in ancient Rome. It was depicted in art, discussed in poetry, scrawled on walls and used in politics to smear your opponent. (x-xi)
This book was a massive undertaking, and may I say the L J Trafford understood the task and executed it incredibly well. In this book, you will find chapters named things like Getting Down to Business: Sex, Sexual Problems and Solutions, Undesirable Partners and How to be Sexy: Beauty and Fashion (just to give you an idea of the types of things discussed)! As a fairly short book (sitting at only 197 pages), Trafford condenses everything you need to know about the Romans in a way that is really easy to read. Her language is colloquial, and her quips and inputs into some of the debauchery that went on in Ancient Rome made me laugh out loud. With her hilarious commentary comes an obvious attempt to remove any modern bias that could be placed upon the way sex, marriage, relationships and all that was used and experienced in Ancient Rome. She reminds the reader over and over that there isn’t really any way we can fully understand the meanings behind the erotic images, or the social importance embedded into the rules and laws attached to relationships and sex, but we can do our best! I loved that as Trafford was discussing some facet of Roman sexual experience, she would then bring in detailed case studies and examples from history.
We simply cannot know because we do not share the same cultural background and baggage. The imagery and what it means is lost to us. (158)
Although sometimes Trafford seemed to take the poetry and writings of men like Ovid and Catullus at face value, often she used it to help build the whole picture around the topic she was handling at that time. It is unsurprising that the book was focused on men and boys and what was expected of them (both from an imperial lens, but also the freedmen and slaves) rather than women for the pure reason that we have a lot more information on men than women. With that being said, Trafford interspersed what we do know about women (imperial, slaves, prostitutes etc) throughout the book in what seemed like as much detail that was available. It was really wonderful to see different types of evidence (images, paintings, statues and literature), all used together to try and piece together just what sex was like in Ancient Rome, and although it was a quick tour, it was still detailed and highly enjoyable.
With this one, the entire premise of the book is in the title- Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome. Trafford begins by outlining the language used in Ancient Rome that has anything to do with sex or sexuality, she introduces these concepts and then explains them so you’re aren’t left lost throughout the book when they inevitably come up again. She then travels through the intricate and somewhat scandalous history of sex in Ancient Rome from the perfect virtuous man and the ideal chaste woman, to how to find a woman and who you are and are not meant to be seen fondling in the forum. She details erotic wall paintings and statues, the concept of witchcraft, the tantalising beauty and fashion and what was all the rage to help you pull on the streets of Rome. Not to mention, Trafford takes it upon herself to tell us all about the sexual exploits of the most well-known figures from Ancient Rome, and she does all this with ample evidence (both textual and archaeological). In short, Trafford answers everything you have ever wanted (and really not wanted) to know about sex and sexuality in Ancient Rome!
Sex was very much on public display in ancient Rome. It was depicted in art, discussed in poetry, scrawled on walls and used in politics to smear your opponent. (x-xi)
This book was a massive undertaking, and may I say the L J Trafford understood the task and executed it incredibly well. In this book, you will find chapters named things like Getting Down to Business: Sex, Sexual Problems and Solutions, Undesirable Partners and How to be Sexy: Beauty and Fashion (just to give you an idea of the types of things discussed)! As a fairly short book (sitting at only 197 pages), Trafford condenses everything you need to know about the Romans in a way that is really easy to read. Her language is colloquial, and her quips and inputs into some of the debauchery that went on in Ancient Rome made me laugh out loud. With her hilarious commentary comes an obvious attempt to remove any modern bias that could be placed upon the way sex, marriage, relationships and all that was used and experienced in Ancient Rome. She reminds the reader over and over that there isn’t really any way we can fully understand the meanings behind the erotic images, or the social importance embedded into the rules and laws attached to relationships and sex, but we can do our best! I loved that as Trafford was discussing some facet of Roman sexual experience, she would then bring in detailed case studies and examples from history.
We simply cannot know because we do not share the same cultural background and baggage. The imagery and what it means is lost to us. (158)
Although sometimes Trafford seemed to take the poetry and writings of men like Ovid and Catullus at face value, often she used it to help build the whole picture around the topic she was handling at that time. It is unsurprising that the book was focused on men and boys and what was expected of them (both from an imperial lens, but also the freedmen and slaves) rather than women for the pure reason that we have a lot more information on men than women. With that being said, Trafford interspersed what we do know about women (imperial, slaves, prostitutes etc) throughout the book in what seemed like as much detail that was available. It was really wonderful to see different types of evidence (images, paintings, statues and literature), all used together to try and piece together just what sex was like in Ancient Rome, and although it was a quick tour, it was still detailed and highly enjoyable.
May 15, 2025
A long time ago when I was at the University of New England in Armidale I had some pretensions at being a bit of an ancient historian. I had done some work on ancient Greek sexual history, focusing on homoeroticism as documented in 5th Century BCE literary sources as an undergraduate, and then after a few years hiatus,I ventured into a Master of Letters with a research thesis as the core assessment requirement. This was the early 1990s and there hadn’t been much done on ancient Roman homoeroticism. This was also at a time when Michael Foucault’s work in the history of sexuality was highly influential, and whilst I didn’t really understand every aspect of what the French academic postulated I did use some of the theories to inform my work. I’d like to think that my work was at that time on the cutting edge of ancient Roman social history, and that places me into a position of some authority when reading a book such as Trafford’s Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome. Having now read the book I would say that this is a very successful attempt to document and explore a complex historical issue, within the constraints of what is somewhat lightweight publication.
It might sound that I am being a little bit dismissive of Trafford’s work, calling it lightweight, but truth be told this is not a book that has been written for an academic audience, designed to satisfy research requirements or perhaps a call for papers at an ancient history conference. This is a book that embodies the qualities of an informative and engaging popular history, with sound academic historical research and principles embedded in the work; it has been written to meet a non-specialist and/or scholarly audience. This doesn't detract from either Trafford's achievement or the book's value; it's perfectly acceptable to produce a tome such as this for a mainstream audience. If one wants a more meaty, academic text on ancient sexuality, then I'd suggest hitting up the aforementioned Foucault or the likes of David Halperin and Ken Dover.
Now, what can one say about Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome that might encourage readers to pick it up? In this reviewer's opinion Trafford has produced a near impeccable text that is highly engaging and intellectually sound. The author has been able to pull off the challenging task of rendering ancient Roman sexual history as accurately as one could hope for, underpinned by the repeated expression of how dissimilar sexuality was constructed, understood and represented, contrasted with today's social, cultural, political, ideological and gendered beliefs, terminology and trends. It is refreshing to see an author examining Roman homoeroticism and reject any reference to 'homosexuality', and (thank goodness) not use terms like queer, gay etc. Trafford 'gets it' in my opinion, in that he speaks to what can be stated about the topic, based on how the evidence represents what Romans thought about sex and how they framed it in their own language, their own beliefs, their own practices.
For example, in the chapter on Roman homoeroticism, not only does he say Roman homosexuality didn't exist ("This is a very poorly titled chapter for in ancient Rome there was no such thing as homosexuality; there wasn't even a word in Latin for it."), Trafford provides an excellent exploration of one of the many examples of sexual 'crimes' committed by an emperor as recorded by Suetonius:
That Trafford picks up on this reading of the literary source and explains it so clearly and effectively is truly pleasing, and to my mind is 100% correct.
Another reason why Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome is so impressive in how it clearly understands and represents the 'otherness' of ancient Roman sexuality is the detailed examination of the Latin vocabulary cited in the evidence. Stuprum, Pedicabo, Cinaedus, Virtus etc are just some of the words and associated ideas that Trafford explains effectively and accurately. It would've been useful if he included irrumator, and perhaps his references to the Greek erastes and eromenos are a bit misplaced, but through his exploration of the terminology the author ensures he is giving prominence and coimprehension to the relevant ideas and experiences in the original language of the Romans.
There is so much more to love about what Trafford does in this book. He uses all the sources one would hope for, with some serious consideration of Martial, Juvenal, Suetonius, Artemidorus, Tacitus and Soranus among others. The Lex Scantina and Ius Trium Liberorum are given attention, offering some important considerations of the legal aspects of ancient Roman sexuality. Medicine, art, politics, religion, domestic life, gender...it's all here.
Now, another reason why I was seriously impressed with this book was Trafford's prose; he has written this text with a winning combination of serious academic language, seasoned with moments of jocular or even tongue in cheek prosaic salaciousness. How can one not find the following writing entertaining and insightful:
I'll admit that the anachronistic, scurrilous and very British colloquialisms used by Trafford might seem a bit silly or puerile, or mystify those without some understanding of UK English and its conventions when it comes to sex. However, I would argue Trafford brings his subject alive and makes his serious academic opinions all the more engaging and understandable.
Now, I must add one caveat as to my praise for this volume, and as a result stopped me from rating Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome a five star favourite. I am not 100% satsfied with how Trafford represented and used all his sources, and this is most problematic when it comes to citations from the Scriptores Historiae Augustae. Yes, he does recognise and speak about the problems of imperial gossip being said to be truthful history, but when it comes to the SAH I believe the author needed to be way more circumspect. A better approach would not have been to cite anecdotes listed in the literary evidence, but instead talk about how the Augustan History used the sexual practices of the emperors it represents as a political and historical moral criticism.
All up Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome was one of those books that, when one approaches with some degree of pre-existing knowledge or expertise in the field it covers, you think it might get a lot wrong, and then it surprises you with how good it is. To see a text that is so engaging and so useful reflect (in part) the work I did in ancient Roman sexuality 33 years ago is a most pleasant experience, and I commend LJ Trafford and his work.
It might sound that I am being a little bit dismissive of Trafford’s work, calling it lightweight, but truth be told this is not a book that has been written for an academic audience, designed to satisfy research requirements or perhaps a call for papers at an ancient history conference. This is a book that embodies the qualities of an informative and engaging popular history, with sound academic historical research and principles embedded in the work; it has been written to meet a non-specialist and/or scholarly audience. This doesn't detract from either Trafford's achievement or the book's value; it's perfectly acceptable to produce a tome such as this for a mainstream audience. If one wants a more meaty, academic text on ancient sexuality, then I'd suggest hitting up the aforementioned Foucault or the likes of David Halperin and Ken Dover.
Now, what can one say about Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome that might encourage readers to pick it up? In this reviewer's opinion Trafford has produced a near impeccable text that is highly engaging and intellectually sound. The author has been able to pull off the challenging task of rendering ancient Roman sexual history as accurately as one could hope for, underpinned by the repeated expression of how dissimilar sexuality was constructed, understood and represented, contrasted with today's social, cultural, political, ideological and gendered beliefs, terminology and trends. It is refreshing to see an author examining Roman homoeroticism and reject any reference to 'homosexuality', and (thank goodness) not use terms like queer, gay etc. Trafford 'gets it' in my opinion, in that he speaks to what can be stated about the topic, based on how the evidence represents what Romans thought about sex and how they framed it in their own language, their own beliefs, their own practices.
For example, in the chapter on Roman homoeroticism, not only does he say Roman homosexuality didn't exist ("This is a very poorly titled chapter for in ancient Rome there was no such thing as homosexuality; there wasn't even a word in Latin for it."), Trafford provides an excellent exploration of one of the many examples of sexual 'crimes' committed by an emperor as recorded by Suetonius:
"Not that it makes this scenario (Nero being engaged in an animalistic orgy that concludes with him being anally penetrated by a freedman) any less extreme, but I believe we can translate "attacked the private parts" as performed oral sex on. Doryphorus too is in possession of a name that translates as 'spear man', which makes you wonder whether Suetonius is making a double entendre here, not least because Diryphorus is given the name Pythagorus is other sources."
That Trafford picks up on this reading of the literary source and explains it so clearly and effectively is truly pleasing, and to my mind is 100% correct.
Another reason why Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome is so impressive in how it clearly understands and represents the 'otherness' of ancient Roman sexuality is the detailed examination of the Latin vocabulary cited in the evidence. Stuprum, Pedicabo, Cinaedus, Virtus etc are just some of the words and associated ideas that Trafford explains effectively and accurately. It would've been useful if he included irrumator, and perhaps his references to the Greek erastes and eromenos are a bit misplaced, but through his exploration of the terminology the author ensures he is giving prominence and coimprehension to the relevant ideas and experiences in the original language of the Romans.
There is so much more to love about what Trafford does in this book. He uses all the sources one would hope for, with some serious consideration of Martial, Juvenal, Suetonius, Artemidorus, Tacitus and Soranus among others. The Lex Scantina and Ius Trium Liberorum are given attention, offering some important considerations of the legal aspects of ancient Roman sexuality. Medicine, art, politics, religion, domestic life, gender...it's all here.
Now, another reason why I was seriously impressed with this book was Trafford's prose; he has written this text with a winning combination of serious academic language, seasoned with moments of jocular or even tongue in cheek prosaic salaciousness. How can one not find the following writing entertaining and insightful:
"Or as Ovid rather charmingly puts it, 'wine lights the fire of passion in the soul, cares melt and vanish in the brimming bowl.' Though you must take care, Ovid warns us, because 'Your eye for beauty's warped by night and wine.' This surely must be the earliest mention of the mind-bending effect of beer goggles."
I'll admit that the anachronistic, scurrilous and very British colloquialisms used by Trafford might seem a bit silly or puerile, or mystify those without some understanding of UK English and its conventions when it comes to sex. However, I would argue Trafford brings his subject alive and makes his serious academic opinions all the more engaging and understandable.
Now, I must add one caveat as to my praise for this volume, and as a result stopped me from rating Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome a five star favourite. I am not 100% satsfied with how Trafford represented and used all his sources, and this is most problematic when it comes to citations from the Scriptores Historiae Augustae. Yes, he does recognise and speak about the problems of imperial gossip being said to be truthful history, but when it comes to the SAH I believe the author needed to be way more circumspect. A better approach would not have been to cite anecdotes listed in the literary evidence, but instead talk about how the Augustan History used the sexual practices of the emperors it represents as a political and historical moral criticism.
All up Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome was one of those books that, when one approaches with some degree of pre-existing knowledge or expertise in the field it covers, you think it might get a lot wrong, and then it surprises you with how good it is. To see a text that is so engaging and so useful reflect (in part) the work I did in ancient Roman sexuality 33 years ago is a most pleasant experience, and I commend LJ Trafford and his work.
July 10, 2021
This is one of the best nonfiction titles I've read so far this year. I devoured this book and highly recommend it to anyone interested in the topic. The book covered pretty much everything I could have dreamed of on the topic of sex and sexuality from the stories of famous Roman debauchery to Rome's fear of decreasing morality and yes, the book even discusses their view of same-sex relationships. It was fascinating to see how while some aspects of Roman culture may seem alien to us in the modern day, other aspects about human nature never really change.
The wealth of examples straight from Rome included in this book made the peek into Roman culture fun and taught me about people, cultural taboos and expectations I didn't know about. The style of the writing and topic breakdowns made everything easy to absorb and sucked me right in without the material ever feeling dry or too academic. And while this book is hilarious at times, it does explore the darker side of sexuality and taboos as well, including topics that could make some readers uncomfortable like rape and infant exposure.
The wealth of examples straight from Rome included in this book made the peek into Roman culture fun and taught me about people, cultural taboos and expectations I didn't know about. The style of the writing and topic breakdowns made everything easy to absorb and sucked me right in without the material ever feeling dry or too academic. And while this book is hilarious at times, it does explore the darker side of sexuality and taboos as well, including topics that could make some readers uncomfortable like rape and infant exposure.
September 19, 2021
An entertainingly written and clearly well-researched book, this tells you all you ever wanted to know about sex lives in ancient Rome, including things you hadn't thought to ask. The book starts with a warning I'd repeat: if you are easily offended/squeamish/sensitive about discussing any kind of sexual matter bluntly, put the book down. Because, as Trafford shows us, the Romans considered sex something (usually) natural, with nothing private about private parts, and the sheer number of words they had to describe acts lets you know they talked about sex bluntly. From what made a person attractive to what was considered normal sexual behavior (with plenty of gossip from ancient historians about those they claimed enjoyed sexual behaviors that were rather abnormal); from love potions to health matters, actors and prostitutes to Senators and emperors, it is all here. Trafford does a good job at reminding us when ancient sources should be considered reliable, unreliable, and conducting smear campaigns as well as bringing in archaeological finds to back up statements when possible.
Witty and clever, entertaining and informative, this is a great book for anyone interested in ancient Rome or sexuality throughout history.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Witty and clever, entertaining and informative, this is a great book for anyone interested in ancient Rome or sexuality throughout history.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
September 5, 2021
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.
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.
October 16, 2021
Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome, by LJ Trafford, is a breezy, mostly informative look at sexual practices in the old Empire, though Trafford probably casts a broader net than some might expect from the title. While we certainly get a lot of sex (what was with all those penises on the walls, what were the rules about adultery, what was a “perfect penis”), Trafford also delves into areas such as body hair, perfume, love potions, and more. I appreciated the wide-ranging approach as many of the topics are more interesting than the clichéd “Roman orgy” or the oft-cited “debauchery” of its rulers (some were, some were not). Though I should note that not being wholly ignorant of her audience, Trafford does end with a chapter entitled “The Sex Life of Emperors.”
Some of the other topics covered include cosmetics, circumcision, eunuchs, marriage laws, contraception, abortion, and “anatomy.” That last in air quotes as we should just say that they didn’t get much right in that field. See “wandering womb”
Trafford has an engaging, often witty voice, and clearly knows her classical sources. Mostly she’s good about the necessary caveats about extremely limited sources, writers with agendas, the problems of sources writing about people or events years or decades (or more) in the past, and the overall lack of, shall we say, a firm commitment to truth/reality. She also does what I wish more other writers did when writing of historical time periods and their “extreme” laws; she points out how rarely those extreme consequences were actually applied. That said, there were a few times I felt she took some of the sources a bit too much at face value, though I certainly don’t hold myself up as a great judge given the discrepancy in our knowledge of the time.
If you read casually in this area (or read well-sourced historical fiction set in this time period), some of this will be familiar—the clothing for instance, the Vestal Virgins, the different rules for men and women, the young marriages. But Trafford offers up some fascinating lesser-known information, such as rites of passage; this isn’t just a rehash of well-trod territory for the person with a lay interest. The book is also nicely enhanced by a collection of illustrations.
Trafford makes for a fun tour guide, and the book makes for a good introduction to the topic without falling into the pitfalls of being too narrowly focused or pandering to too salacious an audience. Recommended.
Some of the other topics covered include cosmetics, circumcision, eunuchs, marriage laws, contraception, abortion, and “anatomy.” That last in air quotes as we should just say that they didn’t get much right in that field. See “wandering womb”
Trafford has an engaging, often witty voice, and clearly knows her classical sources. Mostly she’s good about the necessary caveats about extremely limited sources, writers with agendas, the problems of sources writing about people or events years or decades (or more) in the past, and the overall lack of, shall we say, a firm commitment to truth/reality. She also does what I wish more other writers did when writing of historical time periods and their “extreme” laws; she points out how rarely those extreme consequences were actually applied. That said, there were a few times I felt she took some of the sources a bit too much at face value, though I certainly don’t hold myself up as a great judge given the discrepancy in our knowledge of the time.
If you read casually in this area (or read well-sourced historical fiction set in this time period), some of this will be familiar—the clothing for instance, the Vestal Virgins, the different rules for men and women, the young marriages. But Trafford offers up some fascinating lesser-known information, such as rites of passage; this isn’t just a rehash of well-trod territory for the person with a lay interest. The book is also nicely enhanced by a collection of illustrations.
Trafford makes for a fun tour guide, and the book makes for a good introduction to the topic without falling into the pitfalls of being too narrowly focused or pandering to too salacious an audience. Recommended.
July 19, 2022
A very well written and entertaining book. The author's wry sense of humor is delightful, and on more than one occasion I burst out laughing. It really is one of a kind, raunchy and fun, yet startlingly insightful.
There's a few mistakes though, which I honestly have to point out:
- The author mentions that Octavian was engaged to "Claudia", but this engagement was broken off so he could marry Scribonia. This is blatantly incorrect. Octavian was engaged and then married Clodia Pulchra (not a Claudia), but their marriage was never consummated. Then he divorced her to marry Scribonia.
- The author mentions that a traveller Pausanias visited one of Antinous' temples in the "mid-first century ce". This can't be possible because Antinous died in 130 ce. I think what they meant was the mid-SECOND century ce? Not really sure what's going on here since the mistake is repeated multiple times.
- They also claim Antinous was in his mid-teens when he died, which again is not true. He died when he was probably 19.
- There is a small but noticeable amount of scattered grammar mistakes here and there, like missing hyphens, typos, and etc. It looks sloppy. This book needs to be proofread again.
To sum it up, I really wanted to give this book 5 stars, but because of the problems I outlined, I can only give it a generous 4 stars. It's probably more of a 3.75 but I rounded it.
I also wish the author went into more detail about the moral landscape of the late Empire, but it seems like the author's cut off point was somewhere around Marcus Aurelius' reign. So really, this book should be called "Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome [from Republic to early Empire]" instead. There are some smatterings here and there about say, Justinian's or Constantine I's reign but it could be written off as a footnote. I thought this was a shame.
Overall though, solid book. Would recommend!
There's a few mistakes though, which I honestly have to point out:
- The author mentions that Octavian was engaged to "Claudia", but this engagement was broken off so he could marry Scribonia. This is blatantly incorrect. Octavian was engaged and then married Clodia Pulchra (not a Claudia), but their marriage was never consummated. Then he divorced her to marry Scribonia.
- The author mentions that a traveller Pausanias visited one of Antinous' temples in the "mid-first century ce". This can't be possible because Antinous died in 130 ce. I think what they meant was the mid-SECOND century ce? Not really sure what's going on here since the mistake is repeated multiple times.
- They also claim Antinous was in his mid-teens when he died, which again is not true. He died when he was probably 19.
- There is a small but noticeable amount of scattered grammar mistakes here and there, like missing hyphens, typos, and etc. It looks sloppy. This book needs to be proofread again.
To sum it up, I really wanted to give this book 5 stars, but because of the problems I outlined, I can only give it a generous 4 stars. It's probably more of a 3.75 but I rounded it.
I also wish the author went into more detail about the moral landscape of the late Empire, but it seems like the author's cut off point was somewhere around Marcus Aurelius' reign. So really, this book should be called "Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome [from Republic to early Empire]" instead. There are some smatterings here and there about say, Justinian's or Constantine I's reign but it could be written off as a footnote. I thought this was a shame.
Overall though, solid book. Would recommend!
July 9, 2023
I’ve laughed out loud and underlined entire passages while reading L.J. Traffords’s, “Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome,” an exceptionally explicit adult-themed nonfiction history of the more prurient aspects of Italy two thousand years ago. The book covers Roman language at the turn of the first millennium; looks at centuries of their morality laws; examines character and appearance ideals for both men and women; provides extensive examples from Publius Ovid Naso (Ovid) on where to find and how to attract a lover.
Trafford isn’t shy in this book, so be prepared to learn lots about ancient Roman’s picturesque carnal pass times. We learn that Romans eagerly talked and gossiped about their amours, even when the act itself wasn’t especially satisfying. One such complainer, Pliny the Elder, whose love life clearly wasn’t terrific, is quoted: ‘All other animals derive satisfaction from having mated; man gets almost none.’ Worry not, there are many more stories and antidotes discussed in this comprehensive reference that will raise your eyebrows, cause your head to shake, and keep you laughing all while educating you on Romans who definitely disagree with Pliny.
TheBookMaven graciously thanks NetGalley, Author L.J. Trafford and Publisher Prn & Sword History for this Advanced Reader’s Copy (ARC) for review.
Trafford isn’t shy in this book, so be prepared to learn lots about ancient Roman’s picturesque carnal pass times. We learn that Romans eagerly talked and gossiped about their amours, even when the act itself wasn’t especially satisfying. One such complainer, Pliny the Elder, whose love life clearly wasn’t terrific, is quoted: ‘All other animals derive satisfaction from having mated; man gets almost none.’ Worry not, there are many more stories and antidotes discussed in this comprehensive reference that will raise your eyebrows, cause your head to shake, and keep you laughing all while educating you on Romans who definitely disagree with Pliny.
TheBookMaven graciously thanks NetGalley, Author L.J. Trafford and Publisher Prn & Sword History for this Advanced Reader’s Copy (ARC) for review.
July 28, 2021
An entertaining read, well organised and covering a lot of ground in terms of the many salacious stories about individuals in ancient Rome, both famous and infamous (the latter being mostly either emperors or members of their families). The book covers issues around what is the ideal Roman man or woman, how sex was perceived to play a role in this but also how the existence of laws usually shows that people are still people and doing what they want to do.
This book covered some areas of research I was already familiar with but also touched on others I'd not come across before. Perhaps one thing that could have been stressed more was the unreliability of the 'evidence' in some cases about people's supposed actions - it's been commonplace to use exaggeration to slander previous rulers within every civilisation, I suspect, and there's maybe a little too much taken as gospel here for my liking. That's a difficult path to walk, however, and I can see why the author might have chosen to use a light hand when pointing out the flaws of some things that are stated to have been done.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I am writing an honest review of my own choice, in order to help other potential readers.
This book covered some areas of research I was already familiar with but also touched on others I'd not come across before. Perhaps one thing that could have been stressed more was the unreliability of the 'evidence' in some cases about people's supposed actions - it's been commonplace to use exaggeration to slander previous rulers within every civilisation, I suspect, and there's maybe a little too much taken as gospel here for my liking. That's a difficult path to walk, however, and I can see why the author might have chosen to use a light hand when pointing out the flaws of some things that are stated to have been done.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I am writing an honest review of my own choice, in order to help other potential readers.
October 25, 2023
Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome by L.J. Trafford focuses on what went on between the people of Rome when entangled in the sheets—or in the bath houses or on the streets, as it were.
This breezy book goes in all directions, from “homosexuality” (undefinable, literally, as there was no such terminology back then), to how actors and gladiators were viewed, to divorce, how slaves were treated, prostitutes, emperors’ sex lives—you get the idea. There’s a lot.
The author does well to note some stories and anecdotes are almost certainly just libellous statements to drag long-dead emperors and their spouses and other notable men and women through the mud. The book stumbles, though, in a few areas:
-This is a Pen and Sword publication and as such, it suffers like many of its productions in that there are typos and general errors throughout the text.
-There are several repeated bits and phrases throughout the text.
-The tone the author employs is an elbow-in-the-ribs-very-jocular deal, where it’s like we’re having a ribald conversation over dinner. Sometimes it works, sometimes it gets to be overbearing, and sometimes it’s grim, like joking about penises and people copulating freely alongside mentions of rape and murder.
This breezy book goes in all directions, from “homosexuality” (undefinable, literally, as there was no such terminology back then), to how actors and gladiators were viewed, to divorce, how slaves were treated, prostitutes, emperors’ sex lives—you get the idea. There’s a lot.
The author does well to note some stories and anecdotes are almost certainly just libellous statements to drag long-dead emperors and their spouses and other notable men and women through the mud. The book stumbles, though, in a few areas:
-This is a Pen and Sword publication and as such, it suffers like many of its productions in that there are typos and general errors throughout the text.
-There are several repeated bits and phrases throughout the text.
-The tone the author employs is an elbow-in-the-ribs-very-jocular deal, where it’s like we’re having a ribald conversation over dinner. Sometimes it works, sometimes it gets to be overbearing, and sometimes it’s grim, like joking about penises and people copulating freely alongside mentions of rape and murder.
June 16, 2021
I received Sex and Sexuality in Ancient Rome as part of a NetGalley giveaway.
Some of the more salacious stories of the Roman Empire emphasize its sexual licentiousness; early scholars even blamed it in part for the empire's fall. Despite the moralizing Augustus' best efforts, a whole host of sexual behaviors were practiced by Romans across the empire. While strict gender roles were in place, there was plenty of room to play within--or outside of--those boundaries with a range of partners, particularly if you were wealthy and/or powerful.
This was quick and fairly light romp through Roman cultural history, looking at gender roles and how those constructs translated into love, marriage, sexuality, and masculinity and femininity. Of course, there is the nonconsensual sex--sex between slaves and masters, adults and children, unwilling spouses--which is troubling but unfortunately a considerable aspect of sexuality in ancient Rome. But on the whole, it's useful in exploring, at a birds' eye view, the cultural forces at work that determined dominant sexual mores if not sexual behavior.
Some of the more salacious stories of the Roman Empire emphasize its sexual licentiousness; early scholars even blamed it in part for the empire's fall. Despite the moralizing Augustus' best efforts, a whole host of sexual behaviors were practiced by Romans across the empire. While strict gender roles were in place, there was plenty of room to play within--or outside of--those boundaries with a range of partners, particularly if you were wealthy and/or powerful.
This was quick and fairly light romp through Roman cultural history, looking at gender roles and how those constructs translated into love, marriage, sexuality, and masculinity and femininity. Of course, there is the nonconsensual sex--sex between slaves and masters, adults and children, unwilling spouses--which is troubling but unfortunately a considerable aspect of sexuality in ancient Rome. But on the whole, it's useful in exploring, at a birds' eye view, the cultural forces at work that determined dominant sexual mores if not sexual behavior.
November 24, 2021
A very thorough, in-depth study regarding what we can know about Roman views on sex and sexuality from literary and archaeological sources.
The author explores every facet of sexuality: general attitudes, history and development, the male perspective, female perspective, slaves, expressions of sexuality, divorce, adultery, and analysis of the claims regarding the sexual proclivities of various emperors.
The book has many valuable insights. Understanding Roman sexuality in terms of penetrator vs. penetrated, and the hierarchy of shame in what was penetrated (least to most, vagina, anus, mouth) is essential for the many discussions about sex as it relates in that culture and that time. The same sex sexuality discussion was interesting: the author does show that for men there wasn't really a same sex relationship culture, but there were some instances of lesbian relationships at the time, which more likely speaks to power dynamics than anything else. And, of course, the importance of remembering the likely continual sexual exploitation of both genders by their masters.
Important reading for understanding Roman times.
**--galley received as part of early review program
The author explores every facet of sexuality: general attitudes, history and development, the male perspective, female perspective, slaves, expressions of sexuality, divorce, adultery, and analysis of the claims regarding the sexual proclivities of various emperors.
The book has many valuable insights. Understanding Roman sexuality in terms of penetrator vs. penetrated, and the hierarchy of shame in what was penetrated (least to most, vagina, anus, mouth) is essential for the many discussions about sex as it relates in that culture and that time. The same sex sexuality discussion was interesting: the author does show that for men there wasn't really a same sex relationship culture, but there were some instances of lesbian relationships at the time, which more likely speaks to power dynamics than anything else. And, of course, the importance of remembering the likely continual sexual exploitation of both genders by their masters.
Important reading for understanding Roman times.
**--galley received as part of early review program
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