Question for project - homosexuality in ancient greece (1 Viewer)

[Artemis_ephesus]

Hi everyone,

I was wondering which of these questions would be a good question do base my history project on. My general topic is homosexuality in Ancient Greece/the Hellenistic world.

Question idea: To what extent was homosexuality an intrinsic aspect of the Hellenistic elite classes?

Or: How has homosexuality in Hellenistic world been interpreted by modern and ancient historians?

Or: How have interpretations of homosexuality's role in the Hellenistic world been created by modern and ancient historians?

Thanks in advance for your input!
~Jo

 

[dizzyizzy]

I think it's a good one, provided it's detailed. B) and C) seem to be better qs than A) - more historiographical.
Just check that your teacher is a least a little bit liberal- I bet an anti-homosexual marker would bring their bias to the marking :mad1:
Don't have any more advice because I don't take Ancient.

 

[Artemis_ephesus]

Yeah, I think there's more historiographical scope in b and c as well. Luckily enough my teacher is pretty ok with homosexuality and stuff, and my ancient history teacher from last year (I finished AH early, last HSC) is really knowledgeable in that sort of area. I'm a gay/lesbian rights activist myself, our school's pretty brilliant in that respect because of projects that I've organised together with some other studetns... But that's off the topic.

~jo

 

[xeuyrawp]

Or: How has homosexuality in Hellenistic world been interpreted by modern and ancient historians?

^ Fantastic! Go with it and run. I want to hear updates.

 

[Empyrean444]

Questions 2 or 3 are both viable and have an historiographical focus. I would suggest changing "homosexuality" into "homoeroticism" because I'm not sure how common the former was if we take into account its exclusiveness (ie "men" only). You could examine the Sacred Bands of the Theban armies; and even pederasty in Greece as well, as this is very related to your topic (catamites and so forth - disgusting!).

 

[Artemis_ephesus]

I would suggest changing "homosexuality" into "homoeroticism" because I'm not sure how common the former was if we take into account its exclusiveness (ie "men" only).

Homosexuality is the common term used in ancient history and gender/sexuality studies in regards to ancient greece. Besides, 'homo' means man, so it's suitable. However there is a point that homosexual people didn't exist until the church founded it - in Greece, homosexual acts were common, but people themselves were not homosexual. I'm hoping to take a multi-disciplinary approach, so I'll also analyse things such as this in accordance to queer theory and gender theory.

(catamites and so forth - disgusting!)

No, not really. It was an accepted fact of the time that pederastical (?) relationships existed and that older men had sex with younger men. Besides, you can't judge history by the values of modern society! (As von Ranke, and I think the relativists and post-modernists would argue?)

 

[Hello2U2]

i agree with the above posts, the second and third sound like they can go much further than the first one. good luck! it sounds interesting

 

[many-eyeshere]

Really great topic, I have a whole book on it. I did Rasputin and thorougly enjoyed it though.