Have we got ancient women's sexuality all wrong?
Summary
Dr. Gene Menzies joins Lauren Good to challenge the myth that women in the classical world were sexually repressed. They explore evidence of female agency, including erotic graffiti in Pompeii, love spells, and poetry by women like Sappho and Sulpicia. The discussion also covers ancient medical beliefs, contraception methods, and how Victorian biases have historically obscured women’s sexual experiences in antiquity.
Topics discussed
The Vindolanda phallus: dildo or darning tool?
Victorian prudishness and male bias in classical scholarship
Female-authored graffiti and love poems in Pompeii
Beyond Sappho: Nossis and Sulpicia's diverse voices
Erotic magic: Women's spells for attraction and desire
Evidence of lesbian and sapphic relationships in antiquity
Sex as medicine: The wandering womb theory and marriage
Women's health, midwifery, and bodily expertise
Contraception methods: Olive oil and magical spells
Reframing history: Treating women's sexuality seriously
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