CLAS112 PO

How did ancient Romans understand and experience gender and sexuality? What can we know about how sexuality and gender shaped the lived realities of historical Romans? How were normative models of gender and sexuality constructed and enforced in the Roman world? Do we have evidence of counter-cultural activity or gender/sexuality-based subcultures? In order to develop our own answers to these questions, we will conduct a theoretically-informed exploration of the intersections between gender, sexuality, ethnicity, social class, and political status in the ancient Roman world. We will draw on literary and material evidence, including poetry, medical texts, architecture, and visual art. By utilizing feminist and anti-racist approaches and actively making thoughtful comparisons with our own lived experiences, students in this course will become a community of scholars engaged in a meaningful inquiry into gender and sexuality in Ancient Rome and today. Additional course information for fall 2020.