Love and sex in Rome

Question 1

Funerary Inscriptions

Answer 1

Romans left detailed epitaphs on tomb markers, often referred to as “speaking stones.” One example, CLE 52, reads, “Stranger, stop and read. This is the unlovely tomb of a lovely woman named Claudia, devoted to her family and household tasks. Go away.”

Question 2

Friendship in Roman Society

Answer 2

Romans were quasi-obsessed with friendship, exploring its nature, formation, obligations, and privileges. Cicero’s “De Amicitia” emphasizes friendship as an accord with mutual goodwill. Friend tombs, like CIL 7.7671, express amicitia among friends.

Question 3

Burial and the Family

Answer 3

Romans had elaborate burial practices. CIL 13.2181 exemplifies the devotion of Julia Helias’s sisters, who brought back her body to bury her in a sarcophagus. Feminine virtues, including pudicitia and univira (one-man woman), were highly valued.

Question 4

Marital Love

Answer 4

Pliny’s letter to his wife, Calpurnia, expresses deep love and longing. Romans married early, with girls marrying between 12-14. Stuprum, a violation of sexual morality, had severe punishments. Catullus 62 reflects the transfer of power in marriage cum manu.

Question 5

Publius Ovidius Naso

Answer 5

Ovid, born in 43 BCE, wrote love elegies, including “Corinna,” and the epic “Metamorphoses.” His “Ars Amatoria” provides practical advice on seduction, reflecting a rejection of traditional moral virtues.

Question 6

Augustan Morality

Answer 6

Augustus enacted Leges Juliae around 18/17 BCE, codifying elite morality. Laws encouraged marriage, legitimate children, and punished adultery. Ovid’s “Ars Amatoria” reflects Augustan morality, with Venus rewarding bold seduction of respectable women.

Question 7

Carmen et Error

Answer 7

Ovid’s exile to Tomis led to two collections: “Tristia” and “Epistulae Ex Ponto.” He references “carmen et error” (a poem and a mistake) in Tristia, with the error leading to his ruin. The exact nature of the error remains unknown.