Greek Hopolites with a twist

[The Internet]

Our veiw of homosexuality isn't the same as it was in EB's time period, a love between two men was a noble thing to the Greeks as long as it was not purely lust. Although, the Romans were a bit more conserative, for the most part, although there was exceptions, as with most things.

[artavazd]

Our veiw of homosexuality isn't the same as it was in EB's time period, a love between two men was a noble thing to the Greeks as long as it was not purely lust. Although, the Romans were a bit more conserative, for the most part, although there was exceptions, as with most things.

Cultures can change, but you gotta find a mans asshole attractive to be homosexual. Its not noble its gay

[Pharnakes]

Cultures can change, but you gotta find a mans asshole attractive to be homosexual. Its not noble its gay

Okay, it is gay, but there is nothing inherntly wrong with that. Maybe it is noble? Why not?

[overweightninja]

AFAIK it was more of a mentor/pupil thing, think about it more like the love between father and son (and for gods sake dont think I mean the sex too, I guess they figured if babies didn't come out s'all good or something ).
And ps as you questioned in your original post (much more eloquently put this time btw ), I think I remember reading the Spartans did not think about it as a sex thing, it was purely an emotional/educational bond, despite the pants in 300.

Cheers

[Watchman]

Given that homosexuals kept turning up even in societies where being exposed as one led to an execution in some distinctly painful manner... now that's definitely nature not nurture.

The way quite a few other cultures seem to have regarded it as a perfectly good and acceptable way of, shall we say, "male bonding" and mentoring (for some reason particularly characteristically among warrior classes) is a different issue.

[bovi]

People will do many things contrary to sense, or their nature, to increase their status. Such as buying a near useless, fancy car for much more money than they can afford without complications, or homosexuals creating families and having children for the sake of appearing "normal". As those in the latter example have been doing so for centuries in christian culture condemning the practice, I don't see why some heterosexuals wouldn't bend the other way in a culture that looked up to homosexuality.

[artavazd]

People will do many things contrary to sense, or their nature, to increase their status. Such as buying a near useless, fancy car for much more money than they can afford without complications, or homosexuals creating families and having children for the sake of appearing "normal". As those in the latter example have been doing so for centuries in christian culture condemning the practice, I don't see why some heterosexuals wouldn't bend the other way in a culture that looked up to homosexuality.

So homosxuality is a lifestyle one is not born as one. or can it be both? I think its more of a life style because of the reasons you gave.

[bovi]

I do not know what causes some to prefer the same sex and others to prefer the opposite. However, there are obviously specimens of each, as well as some who are not quite so particular about their choice.

I believe, but may be wrong, that many who do prefer a particular sex would be able to void their preference in given circumstances, from having their life count on it via it giving elevated status to giving immediate gain such as money. The level necessary for this will vary between individuals of course (some probably simply won't do so, for any reason at all), and I also think the general views of their culture will affect the level, as said in my previous post.

[Maeran]

So homosxuality is a lifestyle one is not born as one. or can it be both? I think its more of a life style because of the reasons you gave.

Not wanting to start a discussion on sexuality here (which, even if it stayed sensible, wouldn't be appropriate to this board). It looks like both: you are born with natural tendancies but the culture you are brought up in adjusts them to fit its own shape.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Regardless of the topic, please watch the language and graphic content.

[Centurion Crastinus]

I have two questions.

1. Was homosexuality common and accepted with just the greeks, or did it occur with other grecco nations like the selucid empire, ptolemeic kingdom, etc? What about the Romans?

2. Did this type of behavior occur with germanic or celtic tribes?

[Watchman]

What one reads of the matter suggests it was more of a normative thing - behaviour considered for diverse convoluted reasons appropriate for men in certain positions. AFAIK both the Greeks and the Romans were quite hierarchy-conscious around the issue too; it being more or less acceptable or even commendable for a man in a status of seniority to be, to use yaoi parlance, the seme ("top") in such a relationship and for the junior (in terms of age, social status, whatevah) partner the uke ("bottom"). Going about it the other way - the "senior" partner as the "bottom" - was apparently considered right peculiar.

The Japanese warrior class seems to have had similar practices and norms, and more-or-less comparable traditions in diverse at least partially ritual contexts apparently haven't been all that uncommon in other cultures, particularly warrior circles, either by what I've read of anthropology.