The Joy of Sexus: Lust, Love, & Longing in the Ancient World
Anyone who reads or writes about the ancient world has to wonder how human sexuality was expressed in those days. Was it overt, or kept behind closed doors – or whatever passed for closed doors before the doorknob was invented? Vicki León answers these questions in her 2013 nonfiction The Joy of Sexus.
Exploring sexuality from the beginning of humankind to Nero’s infamous appetites, and from contraceptives to castration, is a broad field. Fortunately the Greeks and Romans weren’t shy about their tastes, and Ms. León combs literature, art, and archeological remains for her accounts. She introduces us to famous lovers of all types, including gods and satyrs, pornographers, and Amazons, and tells us how they liked to “do it.”
If you love reading about the Classical Age, The Joy of Sexus is for you. It covers topics which are often glossed over, and does it with detail and humor. If you are a writer, this is good research tool, and it’s a fun read too.
