New and surprising insights into homoeroticism of times past

In ancient times, the Greek god Eros personified both heterosexual and homosexual attractions. Same-Sex Desire and Love in Greco-Roman Antiquity and in Classical Tradition of the West explores the homosexual side of the vanished civilizations of Greece and Rome, and the resulting influence on the Classical tradition of the West. Respected scholars clearly present evidence that shows the extensive nature of homoeroticism and homosexuality in the Classical world. Iconography such as vase decoration and carved gemstones is presented in photographs, and the text includes an examination of a wide selection of literature of the times with an eye to opening new vistas for future study.

Same-Sex Desire and Love in Greco-Roman Antiquity and in Classical Tradition of the West lays to rest the myths generally accepted as truth about Greco-Roman views on homosexuality and brings fresh insights to philological and historical scholarship. This book provides nuanced, humanistic discussions on the common phenomena of same-sex desire. Topics include Greek pederasty and its origins, the Greek female homoeroticism of Sappho, homosexuality in Greek and Roman art and literature, and the emergence of the gay liberation movement with the influence of discussions of Greek and Roman homosexuality in the twentieth century. The text is extensively referenced and includes helpful notation.

Same-Sex Desire and Love in Greco-Roman Antiquity and in Classical Tradition of the West provides a comprehensive table of abbreviations, subject index, and index of names and terms. It discusses in detail:

the integral role athletic nudity played in athlete-trainer pederasty

the central role of pederasty in Greek history, politics, art, literature, and learning

tracing the history of the Ganymede myth

how the athletic culture of Sparta contributed to the spread of pederasty in Greece

homosexuality in Boeotia in contrast to the rest of Greece

the homoeroticism of Sappho

dispelling generally accepted myths prevalent about Roman sexuality

Roman visual representations of homosexuality as evidence of prevailing attitudes

homoerotic connotations in literature and philosophy of the Italian Renaissance

the effect of German classical philology on gay scholarship

English Romantic poets and the importance of male love in their lives

the Uranians’ use of allusions and themes from ancient Greece

the building of intellectual community through gay print culture through the use of Greece and Rome as models

and more

Same-Sex Desire and Love in Greco-Roman Antiquity and in Classical Tradition of the West is essential reading for Classicists, specialists in gender/sexuality studies, humanists interested in the classical tradition in Western culture, psychologists, and other social scientists in human sexuality.