Homosexuality in Ancient Athens

About the Book

Homosexuality in Ancient Athens is a brief, yet comprehensive and thoroughly documented history of the life style of men and women during the Classical period of the fifth and fourth centuries BCE in Athens, Greece.

The references to ancient literary and iconographic sources and to modern literature are collected by chapters as follows: Definitions, Mythical Origin of Man, Men's Sexual Life Style, Homosexuality, Pederasty, Effeminacy, Lesbianism, Men's Friendship and Sexual Reality.

A select Bibliography and Index follow the 173 pages of text, illustrated by two maps and eight reproductions of ancient paintings on vases. This book is an offshoot of Women of Ancient Athens published recently by the same author.

Homosexuality in Ancient Athens is dedicated to all readers who desire to know more about the homosexual life style of the ancient Athenian men and women. Their history is unique in many ways, always intriguing and fascinating. This scholarly book is perfectly suited for libraries for adults and for academic reference centers as well as leading bookstores carrying English titles. Its Print-on-Demand access contributes to a wider distribution at a lower price.

A quiz, for no grade or credit, just for fun!

1. Did the playwright Aristophanes and the philosopher Aristotle know each other in Athens? Yes ____ or No ____
2. Were the terms "homosexual" and "lesbian" created by the Greeks of the Classical period? Yes ____ or No ____
3. Was Cornelius Celsus of the first century CE first to write a treatise on venereal diseases? Yes ____ or No ____
4. Was The dialogue "Symposium" written about love by Aristophanes ? Yes ____ or No ____
5. Was the hero Achilles younger than his friend Patroclus? Yes ____ or No ____
6. Did Aristotle object to the practice of pederasty when he wrote his Nicomachean Ethics? Yes ____ or No ____
7. Did Nicomachus succeed his father Aristotle as director of the Lyceum of Athens? Yes ____ or No ____
8. Did Socrates live before Jesus? time? Yes ____ No ____

If you need some help, please find the answers below in "Excerpts" section.

About the Author

Born in Canada, Dr. Joseph R. Laurin traveled around the world several times, served as student, lecturer or consultant in Canada, Europe, the Middle East and the United States, became fascinated by Greece when he toured her ancient sites for the first time in 1952, chose California as his residence since the 1950s and the United States for his citizenship. In his retirement for the past thirteen years, he taught part-time for the University of Nevada Las Vegas and dedicated the rest of his time to research and writing. He recently published a more extensive survey about Women of Ancient Athens which can be accessed through the Internet.