Homosexuality in ancient times

Why was homosexuality so common in ancient times?

Much of what we know today about Athenian pederasty comes from ceramic paintings on vases depicting various forms and aspects of a relationship.

These vases were widely produced between 550 and 470 BC, after which they either fell out of fashion or were replaced by vases made of precious metals, which did not survive the test of time.

♦ General
First of all, you should know that the Greeks and Romans had no concept of homosexuality or heterosexuality.
Men were assumed to be attracted to both women and men, and a preference for only one sex was considered eccentric.

But since both communities were very patriarchal, sexual relationships were heavily influenced by a person's status, who performed penetration, and the age of the two individuals involved.

Among both the Greeks and the Romans, sex between two men was taboo, especially for the one who was penetrated, as it was seen as reducing the passive partner to the level of a woman.

An even greater taboo existed around homosexuality, where an older man allowed himself to be penetrated by a younger man.

♦ Rules
He asked the boy's father for permission and tried to win the boy's affection by giving him gifts, such as a hare as a pet.
The ‘kalos’ inscriptions on vases can also be seen in the context of this courtship. These vases feature the image of a beautiful boy with the inscription ‘xxx is beautiful (kalos)’. However, this does not mean that gymnasiums were places of public debauchery.
Nudity and physical contact did not necessarily lead to indiscreet sex.

♦ Pederasty
Men usually entered into homosexual relationships with boys between the ages of 16 and 18. This was called pederasty and, in addition to sex, also had an educational aspect, with the older man (always depicted as the man with the beard and the young man without a beard) serving as a teacher.

♦ Eroticim
The erotic and sexual aspect of the relationship, which usually consisted of hugging, touching, and non-penetrative sex, ended when the younger partner reached adulthood, after which it transitioned into a lifelong friendship.
During sexual acts, one partner would place his penis between the thighs of the other. Penetration was considered humiliating for the receiving partner.

♦ Beard
Among the Greeks, boys were expected to start looking for a wife and start a family when they grew a beard, with the man being mentored by his older male partner; in other words, former lovers remained friends.

Sex between two adult, mature men was considered inappropriate.

♦ Homosexual
Sex between two men was only acceptable between two young boys and, in theory, was only intended to be a way of connecting with each other, whereby one man would clamp the other's penis between his thighs and nothing else.

Both the Greeks and the Romans accepted that young boys had sex during their teenage years, until they were old enough to grow a beard, the same age at which girls were (supposed to be) ready for marriage.

♦ Anal sex
Anal sex was reserved for heterosexuals. Strangely enough, it is now considered taboo among heterosexuals. In addition, anal sex between men and women was also an effective form of contraception at the time, which is why it was common among married couples who did not want any more children.

♦ Sodomy
Was inappropriate, anal sex between adult men.

♦ Slaves and foreigners
Sex between two free-born men could damage the reputation of the young men involved, but slaves and foreigners were free to do as they pleased.
Male and female prostitution was openly practiced on the streets of Rome.
In addition, every slave was also a sex slave, which made sexual relationships between master and slave more acceptable in ancient Rome.

♦ Women
Women led a secluded life and Greek men often had homosexual relationships. They married to have children, but kept their distance and lived on different floors. Women did not participate in the social life of men, and men sought contact with their own gender in various ways.

♦ Lesbian
Sex between two women was not illegal or taboo, by the way. That was because both the Greeks and the Romans could not believe that such a thing would happen.

Source: Historia, G.geschiedenis, wikipedia

Historia
G.geschiedenis 
wikipedia
http://www.holebi.info/phpnews/kortnews.php?action=fullnews&id=10373

Photos
Wikipedia