Customer Reviews

Sexuality and Gender in the Classical World: Readings and Sources (Interpreting Ancient History)

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The perspectives and interpretations of historical events or stories, and how they are used to provide some meager understanding of the 'classical' concept of sexuality and gender are specific to certain theoretical models of historical analysis, but the writing is overall clear and succinct so as to be convincing. The article by King title 'Bound to Bleed' did more to explain women's place in Ancient Greece then did two other entire classes on ancient Greek society! The section on Roman history gave a similar detailed accounting of women in Rome, Finley's 'The Silent Women of Rome' is short and easy to read for a good overview of the problem of understanding women's minds of that time, Joshel's 'Body Female and the Body Politic' is a great read on the myths of Roman history and how they established the future place of women in that culture. Actually, each article is strong in its own way, some more 'theory-bound' than others, and the supply of source material for all the referenced passages makes this one of the most useful books for my use in other situations, or even to read to keep my mind from becoming too limited by my own white/male/modern American perspective!!!