Sexuality in ancient Rome

Roman goddess of love, sexuality, procreation and pleasure

In classical mythology, Cupid ( , meaning "passionate desire") is the god of desire, erotic love, attraction and affection. He is often portrayed as the son of the love goddess Venus and the god of war Mars. He is also known as Amor (Latin: '''', "love"). His Greek counterpart is Eros. Although Eros is generally portrayed as a slender winged youth in Classical Greek art, during the Hellenistic period, he was increasingly portrayed as a chubby boy. During this time, his iconography acquired the bow and arrow that represent his source of power: a person, or even a deity, who is shot by Cupid's a

Greek god of the mountain wilds, shepherds, flocks, rustic music, fertility, spring, and theatrical criticism, with the hindquarters, legs, and horns of a goat

In Greek mythology, Priapus (; ) is a minor rustic fertility god, protector of livestock, fruit plants, gardens, and male genitalia. Priapus is marked by his oversized penis, and his permanent erection, which gave rise to the medical term priapism. He became a popular figure in Roman erotic art and Latin literature, and is the subject of the often humorously obscene collection of verse called the Priapeia.

thumb|Herculaneum fresco 1–50 AD, [[National Archaeological Museum, Naples]] In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Hermaphroditus (; , ) is a child of Aphrodite and Hermes. According to Ovid, he was born a remarkably beautiful boy whom the naiad Salmacis attempted to rape and prayed to be united with forever. A god, in answer to her prayer, merged their two forms into one and transformed him into a being of two sexes, both male and female. His name is compounded of his parents' names, Hermes and Aphrodite, and is the origin of the term hermaphrodite.

episode in the history of Rome

thumb|Two Erotes, depicted on a Campanian [[hydria by the Danaid Painter, c. 340–320 BC]] In Ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Erotes (; , érōtes) are a collective of winged gods associated with love and sexual intercourse. They are part of Aphrodite's retinue, along with the Charites. Erotes is the plural of Eros ("Love, Desire"), who as a singular deity has a more complex mythology.

first-century BCE collection of poetry in Latin by Ovid

thumb|An illustration of a woman being irrumated by a man|250x250px

gay and lesbian sexuality in ancient Rome

Roman phallic marriage deity

history of Roman sex

thumb|The Warren Cup, now in the [[British Museum, depicts sexual intimacy between a young man or a "pederast" – in the broadest sense – and his "catamite"]] thumb|Roman Ganymede (mythology)|Ganymede as a , with the eagle of [[Jove]]

ancient Roman law

building in Pompei, Italy

antiquated euphemism for male homosexuality

thumb|A venereum in the House of Sallust Venereum (after goddess Venus) was an element of ancient Roman private apartments found particularly in Pompeii. It was originally interpreted as a specialized apartment or room dedicated to sexual activities. One venereum was found in the House of Julia Felix and another one in the House of Sallust, both in Pompeii. In the latter house, the venereum was a garden with several separate rooms.