by: Josh Thiele
- Part I – Prehistory to Ancient India
- Part II – Greco Roman
- Part III – The Middle Ages
- Part IV – The Erectile Revolution
In Early Times Acts of Sex Required Strength and Stamina
In our previous installment, we explored the mysteries of prehistory and took a trip to ancient India, where the erection was expected to be used to please one’s mate and the act of sex required strength and stamina in more than one muscle*.
Much of Western culture derives from the civilizations of ancient Greece and the Roman empire, though many of the sexual practices they considered acceptable (pederasty, for one) are not only taboo in our society, they carry significant prison terms. Let us focus instead on the positive contributions these civilizations made to those who followed.
The Ancient Greeks Worshipped the Erection
To the Greeks, the erection was worshipped, and phallic totems were symbols of fertility. This reverence for the tentigo is timeless and can be seen most dramatically in modern creations such as the Innuendo Tower in London, the Torre Agbar in Barcelona, and the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile.
Unlike the ancient Indians, who believed that the act of sex was meant to be pleasurable for both parties, the Greeks saw wives almost at the level of slaves–their purpose being sexual objects and bearers of children. Try that today and you’ll see how fast your erection goes away (have a bag of ice handy before you open your big mouth).
Liberal Attitudes Toward Sex in the Late 60’s
The Roman Empire saw many changes in attitudes about the erection, though if the frescoes uncovered in Pompeii and Herculaneum are any indication, the periods of liberal attitudes toward sex make the late 60s in America look like a Shaker tea party. Prostitution was the norm in Rome, and homosexuality was accepted. Public artworks displayed a myriad of sex acts without shame or censure.
It would be safe to assume that if one were the type to become easily aroused by visual stimuli, the streets of an ancient Roman metropolis would have been a tough place to keep the tent pole stashed. But then again, with the open attitudes toward sexuality, it’s likely that most of the male population was proudly walking around with togas a-bulging.
Though sexual norms changed much throughout the long history of the Roman Empire, the public erection had no chance of making a comeback once Emperor “Buzzkill” Constantine decided to get religion–an event from which Western civilization has never fully recovered.
Part III: The Middle Ages ->->
*The penis is not actually a muscle; it’s an organ. The erection is caused not by the flexing of muscular tissue but the dilation of penile arteries. While helpful for lessons on human physiology, this information does not make for good pillow talk and is best shared only in situations where you do not intend to engage in sexual intercourse.
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