Do you know the concept of PederastyPederasty? The sexual undertones of the relationship confuse you. Or does it, at times, question the foundation of a relationship? Do you think homosexual relationships are something against the nature of humans?
These relationships are mostly popular in Ancient Greece; you will find evidence of this in paintings and mythological interpretations. I can also identify this concept as a type of sexual attraction to children, especially because the pursuer is old enough to be a parent. Can you relate to the case of the Konerak Sinthasomphone?
When you go into the details of this practice, you will evaluate aspects such as partaking in romantic or sexual relations with a minor or underage; it is illicit. Even if you, as an older person, access content in the form of pornographic material related to children, it is actionable and against the law.
For this reason, I am trying to explore this topic to better understand the concept of Pederasty and its impact. I will explore the topic that is ideal and people supports in ancient times, specifically in Greece. Let us delve deeper into the concept and practice of it all!
Pedophilia Was Encouraged Among Homosexuals In Ancient Greece!
The older men are mostly the pursuers, while they pursue the younger ones. Most of the younger ones are between the ages of late teens and twenties. Nobody restricts relationship such as these to just romantic or sexual interaction but also about creating a path of maturity for the younger ones.
The younger boys acquire more exposure and benefits while in a relationship with older and grown men. One of the reasons the relationship is romantic for many is because being an erastes is their civic duty. Do you know there was some tale related to Alexander the great like this?
Do you question the validity of such a relationship? Therefore, the relationship might have undertones; however, we can also view it as a mentorship. Of course, there is a hint of pedophilia, which is not completely a positive thing to do.
In defining the concept of Pederasty, sexual relationships play an important role! In my opinion, society observes sexual relationships from various perspectives, sometimes its judgmental, while at other times, it is to implement or justify a negative action.
Pederasty In Myths And Legends!
One of the most popular legends of Pederasty is the story of Zeus and Ganymede. According to the popular depictions of the story, the mortal Shepherd Ganymede was beautiful and young while Zeus fell head over heals for him! He was an adolescent because he was beardless in Greek Art!
It is a common indicator that he was a boy. However, we need to find out if Zeus knew that! Considering he was a notorious womanizer, he might be aware that Ganymede is not a woman! It might also be that he was falling for the adolescent by his beauty and could not control himself.
He summoned an eagle or became an eagle himself; depending on which account you take, he kidnapped Ganymede to Olympus. Once there, Ganymede started working as the cupbearer of gods! This myth supports the practice of pederasty relationship among Greek men!
Achilles And Patroclus
The love story between Achilles and Patroclus is an eternal romance which is another legend quite popular in Greek mythology. Both mortals, writers, and poets have highlighted these two as the form of erastes and eromenos.
Homer talks about the two for the first time in Iliad, where the two men are companions in their fight against the Trojans in the Trojan War. The epic story does not mention a hint of a sexual relationship between the two. However, there is passion and emotion.
The relationship in the classic depicts that the two men shared a relationship more than typical male friendship. In the 4th, 5th, and 6th centuries, poets, writers, and artists tried to mold their ties into the idea of a pederastic approach.
Harmodius And Aristogeiton
The couple in Greek literature shared a pederastic relationship because one of them was a young Athenian youth, Harmodius, while another was a Greek middle-class citizen, Aristogeiton. Hipparchus, the brother of the tyrant Hippias propositions Harmodius however, he was turns him down.
This led to serious concerns among the tyrant because he invited Harmodius’s sister to a sacred procession and then addressed her as unworthy. Aritogeiton put together a band of men who are ready to attack Harmodius; however, after the face-off the couple dies. Yet their initiative did overthrow the tyranny later!
Agathon And Pausanias
How can we forget about a young poet enamored with an older man who became his erastes, Pausanius? The love story looks like it it is from the stars, as the two men never took wives or had any children, as far as records go.
It was more than just an ideal relationship, as both men stayed together longer than expected. It was so much so that when Agathon went to Macedonia to expand his career in drama and art, Pausanias went with him between 411 and 405!
Also, Agathon was ten years younger than his lover, and they stayed together for as long as possible; Agathon was 18 when they started their relationship. He is also a host a dinner party where the symposium by Plato was set.
The practice of Pederasty!
It all originated with the Cretans, where the ritual includes the kidnapping of a boy, also known as harpagmos. The kidnapping by an aristocratic adult male or official of an elite background boy while even the father of the boy gives consent is normal.
Imagine fathers allowing older men introducing sexual actions and activities to their children. The practice does not end here; now, the adult man takes the young boy to the wilderness, where they spend almost two months together. The individuals hunt and feast with friends, thus learning responsibility, respect, and skills.
The old man takes young boy out to the wilderness and then the philetor, the pursuer, starts having a sexual relationship with the boy. However, the final decision lies with the young boy as he can change his status to parastates, which means comrades with the older man, thus living in the society.
The relationship between an adolescent or pubescent boy and an adult man is Pederasty where there are hints of sexual interaction! In Ancient times, it is encouraging in Greece! Shocking right? We know but that is exactly how these kinds of relationships are idealistic in the eyes of the people.
Simultaneously, older men in their mid to late twenties try to look for boys who are quite young than them. The older men are the erastes in the relationship, while the young one in the relationship, the eromenos became a couple.
Pedophilia, Heterosexual, And Marriage Customs!
You can evaluate the concept of PederastyPederasty with regards to the element of pedophilia involved in it! It was a popular practice in Greece, and there is still evidence of its infamous depictions of folktales, stories, and narration.
One such popular relationship was between Zeus and Ganymede. The mortal shepherd Ganymede is described as beardless and beautiful, indicating that he is a young boy! Zeus seduces Ganymede and then takes him to Olympus.
There are different accounts, none based on evidence that either Zeus turned into an eagle or summoned an eagle to take Gynamede away. Thus granting him immortality and making him the royal cupbearer of the Gods. It is nothing short of the Gods that might have created the Chinese pyramids!
In ancient cultures in Greece and Rome, women are quite young when they are married to older men and then raise a family. It is then their responsibility to raise children. It is inconsiderate because, as young as the age of 12 to 16, girls are married off to older men in society.
The Romans and the Greeks considers the huge age gap between men and women ideal! However, in Western culture, this is quite wrong. This is where you learn it is not about love or relationships regarding these marriages!
It was more about political gains, economic relationships, and the benefits of parents and family. The focus was to have girls fertile and ready to procreate as early as possible. There have been situations where a young girl, literally a child, turned into a woman after the consummation of marriage.
Implications Of Pederasty!
The practices and cultural impact of PederastyPederasty in both Rome and Ancient Greece can be scrutinized and evaluated thoughtfully! Considering the practices of pedophilia is a vindictive action in the modern world. People vindictively watched the movie Call Me By Your Name!
However, in ancient times, men’s organizations advocated the practice by identifying it as a convention and legalizing it! There was another practice in ancient Greece that was entertaining, which you can understand from the stories related to Adonis.
There are several stories where a youthful male figure, Adonis, is desired by women, which might be illegal or not acceptable in modern culture. The ancient desire of women has been entertained in the culture as the society justifies it based on their practices.
A veil of cultural relativism persists in the Roman and Greek customs, where the youth are taken for granted. The conventionalization and legalization of these kinds of illegal practices have been done regarding how society behaved.
Even with a critical eye, it was accepted if it was something that most of the upper class did. However, society scrutinizes anything that might be done by individuals who belong to the lower class.
Young boys who were mostly enslaved were judged along with being used by higher-ups! These individuals want to create a position in society; however, strong men consider these activities a passage of time.
Why did Greece Entertain This Practice?
The officials and the highborns in Greece believed in the practices of exploiting minors, which was highlighted as a mentorship or a relationship. These aspects are celebrated regarding people who might not be comfortable or cannot open up.
It is quite an important part of their personality and interpersonal relationships in a society with cults. The older men welcome the individuals who might feel that they are inferior or are suspicious into the fold of this relationship with them.
In Greco-Roman art, objects and statues such as The Warren Cup have entertained these types of relationships along with different social responsibilities. For example, beardedness is a symbol used to inform that the individual is a man.
The absence of a beard is sometimes identified as a young boy still learning the ways of life. It is integral in how boys without beards have been taken as lovers by older men who have power in society.
In Greece, this was entertained because it was considered a rite of passage! Why is the pederastic relationship between two men deemed ideal to Greek? It is because it allowed boys to come into their manhood, along with learning to be comfortable with their sexuality.
Was Rome Prepared For Pederasty?
The Romans, on the other hand, were completely against any practices of PederastyPederasty! You can get a better idea of it all when they also have severe concerns with some of the Greek ideals. There is a major gap between the Greeks’ and the Romans’ ways of life, which the Romans mainly created.
It is the Romans who consider the Greeks beneath them. However, many of their practices and myths have been taken from the Greeks and expanded as a part of their culture. For example, they have their interpretation of PederastyPederasty.
An older Roman highborn official who is freeborn pursues a relationship, mostly sexual, with a young boy or teenager; it is forgivable! Given the young boy should not be of Roman origin and must be a prostitute or an enslaved person.
You will be shocked to know that there is a law set in Rome called the Lex Scantinia. According to this law, older men will be penalized if they get involved in a sexual relationship with a younger freeborn male.
In Rome, individuals were contested based on the type of relationship they had with younger boys, especially if they had recently passed puberty. It was significant how an older man offered tutelage to the younger men in the group.
Finishing Off…
Now that you have read the article on PederastyPederasty and its practice in Greece, you might have questions! Please tell us your question if we still need to answer most of the questions.
So, by now, you have already related pedophilia with PederastyPederasty, where consent might not be an element to consider. Furthermore, there is a concern about boys being unable to mature into men and go through the rite of passage due to modern-day policies and legalities.
Do you think the Romans were right in considering that only enslaved people or prostitutes should be exploited? Comment on how the action is justified when the relationship is between two men with a huge age difference!
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