Wow, the Romans
November 14, 2001 2:29 PM Subscribe
Wow, the Romans really found no problem with sex being shown out in the open. This is a picture found in an ancient Roman bath.
"Zookeeper! Zookeeper! Those two monkeys are killing each other!"
posted by jpoulos at 2:42 PM on November 14, 2001
posted by jpoulos at 2:42 PM on November 14, 2001
The Romans were also apparently fans of spying on willowy blondes using FVN! and SECVRE! little cameras.
posted by Skot at 2:46 PM on November 14, 2001
posted by Skot at 2:46 PM on November 14, 2001
is that supposed to be 2 people or 3?
posted by cell divide at 2:47 PM on November 14, 2001
posted by cell divide at 2:47 PM on November 14, 2001
Meh, that's nothing. Outside of a good number of Roman houses, there were large (2-3 foot) terra cotta phalluses. You don't see them in museums because they tended to be vandalized. (I just wanted to give some historical precedent to the America's Funniest Home Videos baseball-bat-to-the-nuts idiom...)
posted by ZippityBOP at 2:49 PM on November 14, 2001
posted by ZippityBOP at 2:49 PM on November 14, 2001
It's a centaur.
posted by solistrato at 2:50 PM on November 14, 2001
posted by solistrato at 2:50 PM on November 14, 2001
It's better with three.
And yes the Romans were very into that kind of thing. Some might say such permissiveness is what led to the fall of Rome. Some would disagree.
posted by daveadams at 2:50 PM on November 14, 2001
And yes the Romans were very into that kind of thing. Some might say such permissiveness is what led to the fall of Rome. Some would disagree.
posted by daveadams at 2:50 PM on November 14, 2001
Shit! they do that stuff at my health spa too. Byut it is all guys. No: not me. I workout in the weightroom.
posted by Postroad at 2:53 PM on November 14, 2001
posted by Postroad at 2:53 PM on November 14, 2001
Shit! they do that stuff at my health spa too. Byut it is all guys. No: not me. I workout in the weightroom.
posted by Postroad at 2:53 PM on November 14, 2001
posted by Postroad at 2:53 PM on November 14, 2001
Wow, the Romans really found no problem with sex being shown out in the open.
Also, baths weren't out in the open.
posted by ZippityBOP at 2:53 PM on November 14, 2001
Also, baths weren't out in the open.
posted by ZippityBOP at 2:53 PM on November 14, 2001
*cackles his head off at Jpoulos' comment*
Why's this in the entertainment section?
Yevge: That's nothing. Have you ever looked at an Indian temple? You'd think they never thought of anything else. Walls and walls of people boinking sculptures.
posted by Su at 2:55 PM on November 14, 2001
Why's this in the entertainment section?
Yevge: That's nothing. Have you ever looked at an Indian temple? You'd think they never thought of anything else. Walls and walls of people boinking sculptures.
posted by Su at 2:55 PM on November 14, 2001
Holy shit!
It's my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandma!
What the hell is she doing?
posted by ColdChef at 2:58 PM on November 14, 2001
It's my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandma!
What the hell is she doing?
posted by ColdChef at 2:58 PM on November 14, 2001
wow.. they're having sex on top of an elephant. not that's kinky.
posted by lotsofno at 3:00 PM on November 14, 2001
posted by lotsofno at 3:00 PM on November 14, 2001
Well, even earlier you've got a whole lot of Greek artwork... On the web you can have a look at this (result of a quick search), but there's much nastier in the plates of a scholarly book like Dover's Greek Homosexuality.
posted by Zurishaddai at 3:07 PM on November 14, 2001
posted by Zurishaddai at 3:07 PM on November 14, 2001
And not the dimmest memory of rot or spark remains...nor of joy or licentiousness--limbs, hair, glances filled with promise and revel; neither fun nor folly, pleasure or regret. So like us, and so very gone.
posted by rushmc at 3:08 PM on November 14, 2001
posted by rushmc at 3:08 PM on November 14, 2001
Side note: I love the astonished "Gosh, those Romans sure did think about sex lots!" tone of the link comment. Not like us.
posted by solistrato at 3:10 PM on November 14, 2001
posted by solistrato at 3:10 PM on November 14, 2001
Wasn't the floor of their senate basically a wild orgy? I think it was also customary to screw during dinner, before entering a public building, at the conclusion of all market transactions, and while crossing intersections.
posted by scarabic at 3:12 PM on November 14, 2001
posted by scarabic at 3:12 PM on November 14, 2001
I think it was also customary to screw during dinner, before entering a public building, at the conclusion of all market transactions, and while crossing intersections.
If they were that busy maybe this is a kind of car-share. It's all rather modern.
posted by jackspot at 3:18 PM on November 14, 2001
If they were that busy maybe this is a kind of car-share. It's all rather modern.
posted by jackspot at 3:18 PM on November 14, 2001
Meh, that's nothing. Outside of a good number of Roman houses, there were large (2-3 foot) terra cotta phalluses. You don't see them in museums because they tended to be vandalized. (I just wanted to give some historical precedent to the America's Funniest Home Videos baseball-bat-to-the-nuts idiom...)
Hey, the Japanese have always known the power of the penis.
posted by bradth27 at 3:21 PM on November 14, 2001
Hey, the Japanese have always known the power of the penis.
posted by bradth27 at 3:21 PM on November 14, 2001
You don't see them in museums because they tended to be vandalized.
Yeah, the ancient Greeks had some problems with that happening, too. But probably these modern museum vandals don't measure up to Alcibiades in other ways.
posted by moss at 3:28 PM on November 14, 2001
Yeah, the ancient Greeks had some problems with that happening, too. But probably these modern museum vandals don't measure up to Alcibiades in other ways.
posted by moss at 3:28 PM on November 14, 2001
what's the big? happens in american bath houses too. (that link's kinda gay. click with caution.)
posted by patricking at 3:30 PM on November 14, 2001
posted by patricking at 3:30 PM on November 14, 2001
Walking round Pompeii this summer, it was obvious that the brothels where the most poular stop off. Not sure about the stone beds though..
posted by laukf at 3:36 PM on November 14, 2001
posted by laukf at 3:36 PM on November 14, 2001
I think my favorite piece of erotic Pompeiiana was the shot of a phallus inscribed into a sidewalk. It was an advertisement and pointed directly at the door of a brothel. My Latin teacher was a little disturbed when her son brought a picture of it back home from Italy...
posted by louie at 4:48 PM on November 14, 2001
posted by louie at 4:48 PM on November 14, 2001
ROMAN PHALLIC AMULET, large cast phallus, complete with suspension loop, 4,5 cm length. Found in Bonn (Bonna). $275 estimate. Sold.
posted by Carol Anne at 4:57 PM on November 14, 2001
posted by Carol Anne at 4:57 PM on November 14, 2001
Annus nummus, annus nummus. Redamo longinquus. Grandis bombus bombus.
< !-- i can't be stuffed doing this properly, so take it for what it's worth -->
posted by Neale at 5:12 PM on November 14, 2001
< !-- i can't be stuffed doing this properly, so take it for what it's worth -->
posted by Neale at 5:12 PM on November 14, 2001
Ah ha! I found where Gary Trudeau learned how to draw eyes!
posted by jragon at 5:24 PM on November 14, 2001
posted by jragon at 5:24 PM on November 14, 2001
Another picture like the one in the link posted
this one is even better
I mean, ok i thought they had sex..
But i never thought ancient Romans ate their women out...
posted by yevge at 6:56 PM on November 14, 2001
this one is even better
I mean, ok i thought they had sex..
But i never thought ancient Romans ate their women out...
posted by yevge at 6:56 PM on November 14, 2001
And appropriately bylined REUTERS/Ho.
Remember, sex is genetic. If your ancestors didn't have sex, you won't either.
posted by Geo at 7:00 PM on November 14, 2001
Remember, sex is genetic. If your ancestors didn't have sex, you won't either.
posted by Geo at 7:00 PM on November 14, 2001
This sort of imagery isn't particularly exceptional of many earlier (or contemporary) cultures. Unfortunately, we still suffer from a view of history that was efficiently sanitised in the Victorian era. Which is a pity, simply because it isn't the truth.
Sex hasn't always been dirty.
posted by chrisgregory at 7:08 PM on November 14, 2001
Sex hasn't always been dirty.
posted by chrisgregory at 7:08 PM on November 14, 2001
Sex hasn't always been dirty.
chrisgregory
... but it is when you get it right (to paraphrase Woody Allen)
posted by thatwhichfalls at 7:30 PM on November 14, 2001
chrisgregory
... but it is when you get it right (to paraphrase Woody Allen)
posted by thatwhichfalls at 7:30 PM on November 14, 2001
Wow, carol anne, what an incredible site that is. Thanks.
posted by jpoulos at 8:02 PM on November 14, 2001
posted by jpoulos at 8:02 PM on November 14, 2001
(*in my best cleese accent*) what did the romans ever do for us?!?!?
posted by eatdonuts at 8:34 PM on November 14, 2001
posted by eatdonuts at 8:34 PM on November 14, 2001
The oh so christian medievals liked Dick too. These are authentic reproductions of "pilgrims" badges (tourists tokens) They were common, worn by everyday folks honoring thier saintly patrons or just plain humourous pictures were worn all the time.
posted by Dome-O-Rama at 9:16 PM on November 14, 2001
posted by Dome-O-Rama at 9:16 PM on November 14, 2001
I'm not sure what this one is, but I like it.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 1:23 AM on November 15, 2001
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 1:23 AM on November 15, 2001
Some might say such permissiveness is what led to the fall of Rome. Some would disagree.
Indeed.
Since Vesuvius buried Pompeii in 79 AD, western Rome lasted until the 5th century and eastern Rome lasted until the 15th century, they must have fallen because of their taste for orgies. Makes sense doesn't it?
posted by geir at 2:16 AM on November 15, 2001
Indeed.
Since Vesuvius buried Pompeii in 79 AD, western Rome lasted until the 5th century and eastern Rome lasted until the 15th century, they must have fallen because of their taste for orgies. Makes sense doesn't it?
posted by geir at 2:16 AM on November 15, 2001
woo-hoo!!!
posted by adampsyche at 4:21 AM on November 15, 2001
posted by adampsyche at 4:21 AM on November 15, 2001
This is the real "feel-good story of the day."
posted by alumshubby at 6:23 AM on November 15, 2001
posted by alumshubby at 6:23 AM on November 15, 2001
geir - Of course it makes sense! It just took god a while to get around to smiting them. The Vesuvius event should have been a lesson, but NO, they had to keep it up another 1500 years. If only Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell had been there to show them the errors of their ways, we could be enjoying the fruits of 2000 years of fundachristiocracy.
posted by yesster at 6:37 AM on November 15, 2001
posted by yesster at 6:37 AM on November 15, 2001
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And now they are dead! Hmmmmm.
posted by thirteen at 2:40 PM on November 14, 2001