Were spartan soldiers gay
Re: Spartan pederasty? - Kineas - 07-13-2008
I wouldn't disallow that homosexuality existed in Sparta or Athens or anywhere else, but it is worth noting that, for instance, if homosexuality were the "norm" that some modern historians make it (wish it?) then Aristophanes's Lysistrata (Λυσιστράτη) (411 BC) would not have been funny.
Lysistrata is a comedy in which the women of Athens and Sparta refuse to acquire sex with their husbands until they make peace. The play was written in the darkest days of the 30 Year's War and if Greek men, or even men of the Hoplite Class in either state had been "mostly" or even "some" lgbtq+, the point of the play would vanish--it wouldn't own been funny then.
I'd further discuss that Plutarch and Polybius are at the root of a great many tales of pederasty and the appreciate. Look--let's face it, any system that allows the mature (men or women) special powers and privileges over the immature (men or women) usually results in sexual maltreatment. But... it seems to me that it suited later, mostly Roman, commentators to push the effeminacy of Greece. Most hoplites were farmers and little husbandmen or craftsmen who lived very plain, almost au
Ancient Greece was apparently LGBTQ+
anon18818791
Homosexuality in the militaries of ancient Greece
Homosexuality in the militaries of ancient Greece was regarded as contributing to morale. Although the principal example is the Sacred Band of Thebes, a unit said to possess been formed of same-sex couples, the Spartan tradition of military heroism has also been explained in light of strong emotional bonds resulting from lgbtq+ relationships. Various ancient Greek sources write down incidents of courage in battle and interpret them as motivated by homoerotic bonds. Some Greek philosophers wrote on th...
en.m.wikipedia.orgLGBT themes in classical mythology | Homosexuality and bisexuality
Apollo, the god of sun and harmony, is considered the patron of matching sex love, as he had many male lovers and was often invoked to bless lesbian unions. He is also called "the champion of male love" by Andrew Callimach. Other gods are sometimes considered patrons of lesbian love between males, such as the love goddess Aphrodite and gods in her retinue, such as the Erotes: Eros, Himeros and Pothos. Eros is also part of a trinity of gods that played roles in
The army of lgbtq+ lovers who made up Sparta's biggest rivals
The Other 300explores the untoldsaga of the world’s greatest military fighting force, made up of 150 pairs of male lovers, whose story has just been uncovered. The show will be available on Sky HISTORY from Monday, 2nd June.
When it comes to elite fighting forces from ancient history, the Spartans seem to have a monopoly in modern mind. This is in part due to the oft-biased focus of historians on the achievements of Sparta and, in more recent terms, big-budget Hollywood movies such as 300 and 300: Rise of an Empire,which showcase the prowess of Spartan warriors.
Although their fearsome reputation is successfully established in the historical sources, they were by no means the only professional soldiers with a formidable reputation on the battlefield that arose from ancient Greece.
For approximately forty years during the 4th century BC, a military unit known as the Sacred Band of Thebes was undefeated on the field of combat. In fact, during this period they even defeated the Spartan army, crushing the image of Spartan invincibility and forever altering the balanc
Lovers and Soldiers
If by some contrivance a city, or an army, of lovers and their fresh loves could come into organism . . . then, fighting alongside one another, such men, though few in number, could defeat practically all humankind. For a man in love would rather have anyone other than his lover see him go away his place in the line or toss away his weapons, and often would rather pass away on behalf of the one he loves.
Plato wrote the Symposium probably around 380 BCE. At that time, many Greek states were subjected to the hegemony of the Spartans, who were enjoying a period of control after defeating the Athenians in 404 in the devastating Peloponnesian War. But one of these states, Thebes, stood up to the military might of Sparta. In doing so, the Thebans realized Phaedrus’s vision: They created an elite corps of three hundred soldiers, known as the Sacred Band of Thebes, comprising 150 pairs of male lovers who fought side-by-side in the name of freedom.
Given the uncertainty of the exact date of writing, Plato might have been referring explicitly to the Solemn Band, which was formed in 379 BCE. A Spartan drive had been occupying the citadel of Thebes, crushing opposition