31/10/2024
Roman Eroticism: A Historical Snapshot of Fluid Desire (1st Century BCE - 4th Century CE)
In ancient Rome, erotic art from the late Republic through the Empire (1st century BCE to 4th century CE) reveals an open approach to sexuality, where desire was celebrated across all orientations. Archaeological finds in Pompeii and Herculaneum show mosaics, frescoes, and pottery featuring men in intimate acts with women and other men, embodying the Roman ideal of libertas—sexual freedom without rigid labels. Love and desire were considered a reflection of social and personal vitality, depicted unapologetically in public and private art.
Roman society saw same-sex relationships—especially between older men and younger proteges or friends—as part of bonding and mentorship, while bisexual relationships, sometimes shown with both men and women together, highlighted the era’s acceptance of a fluid expression of intimacy. Rather than secrecy, Roman erotic art speaks to a cultural embrace of the body and its pleasures, reflected in art that normalized and celebrated human connection in all its forms.
