HIS 412 Sex and Gender in Ancient Greece and Rome

Greeks and Romans thought about sex and gender radically differently than we do today. What can we learn about ancient Greek and Roman culture from their sexual behaviors, desires, and identities? How does one’s gender identity relate to one’s sexuality in ancient Greece and Rome? And what difference does it make to us now, if things were so different in the past? In this course, we will explore these questions by analyzing literary, artistic, historical, and archaeological evidence to form a picture of the relationship between gender identity and sexuality in ancient Greece and Rome. We will pay particular attention to how the experiences, gender, and sexuality of the authors or creators of the available evidence inform, limit, and influence the ‘story’ of gender and sexuality that they tell.

Credits

3

Cross Listed Courses

CLA 341.