When Pompeii was first excavated in the 18th century, the individuals involved in the re-discovery of this coastal town were surprised (or dare I say ‘shocked’) to discover the massive array of erotic male (and female) genitalia scattered throughout the ancient establishment. Considered taboo and eventually locked away into Pompeii’s now famous, ‘Secret Cabinet’, this museum of wonders was closed off to women until the 1980s.
In this fascinating episode on the Coffee & Cocktails® Podcast, I talk with Australia’s favourite Ancient Historians and hosts of The Partial Historians podcast, Dr Peta Greenfield and Dr Fiona Radford, about the history of sexuality in Ancient Rome and how Roman society’s concepts of ‘gender’, agency, and sexual acts were largely linked to the Roman citizen’s understanding of social status and political power.
Show notes:
Book recommendations:
- Pompeii in the Public Imagination from its Rediscovery to Today (2011) Edited by: Shelley Hales and Joanna Paul
- Roman Sexualities (1997) Edited by: Marilyn Skinner and Judith Hallet
Online recommendations:
- Pompeiian Sexuality (National Geographic) (2010)
- Sex in Ancient Rome (The Partial Historians Podcast) (2018)
Coffee & Cocktails® Podcast 