What do we know about the sexual culture of ancient city dwellers? Do modern representations of the sex lives of the inhabitants of ancient cities bear any resemblance to the cultural and historical reality? What fantasies did the ancients themselves construct about sexuality and city living, and do these fantasies cohere with our fantasies about them?

Students will examine the sexual culture of the ancient Greeks, Graeco-Roman Egyptians and Romans through the study of texts, material remains and art. Our discussions will focus on the various ways that sexuality and sexual experiences were constructed in the three major cities of the ancient Mediterranean world: Athens, Alexandria and Rome. Students will consider how urban life in antiquity affected human sexuality, specifically the way living in an ancient city organized the relationship between sex and power. We will also pay particular attention the reception of the sexual culture of these ancient cities in modern representations, such as films, television, novels, and art.