Elaborate on the ancient Greek sexual culture.

What will be an ideal response?


Ancient Greek civilization dates from 800 B.C.E. until 197 C.E when it was incorporated into the Roman Empire. The Greeks practiced a complex form of sexuality and love that included sexual pleasure but tempered it with restraint. Their sexual culture was ideally democratic, but male power was a significant element of their tradition. Too much sex was considered bad for health, but in general, sex was a natural, positive function of human life in Ancient Greece. The Greeks believed in many gods, a concept they borrowed from Ancient Egypt, a civilization dating back to about 3100 B.C.E. Greek religion included the important idea that the gods, including their ruler Zeus, were believed to be highly sexual and engaged in all kinds of sexual exploits. Zeus could take human or animal form, he engaged in sexual interactions with women and boys, and he produced human offspring.
Not surprisingly, then, the Greeks accepted same-sex relations, but because all Greeks had to marry, homosexuality was not an exclusive sexual practice for them. Young men in their late teens had sexual relations with older males to achieve masculinity and honor as well as to cultivate self-discipline and leadership. Married men could have extra-marital relationships with younger males who were in their late teens. Typically, these relationships involved sex, love, and mentoring to make the youths into proud free citizens.

Interdisciplinary Studies

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_____ is a sexually transmitted infection that usually causes symptoms of a puslike discharge and painful, burning urination in the male but is frequently asymptomatic in the female.

A. Herpes B. Chlamydia C. Syphilis D. Gonorrhea

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Cross-cultural research reveals that people in _______ countries tend to view chastity as a relatively more important attribute in a potential mate than do people in _______ countries.

a) South American; Central American b) Western European; Middle Eastern and African c) European; North American d) collectivist; individualist

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A very effective form of sexual therapy for women who may have had the vagina stretched in childbirth and now have an orgasmic disorder is

A. using the Freudian vaginal orgasm technique. B. doing Kegel exercises daily. C. taking intracavernosal injection. D. using the stop-start technique.

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Which of the following is a cause of secondary amenorrhea?

A. Decrease in the secretion of prolactin B. Development of the corpus luteum C. Contraction of the uterine tissues D. Weight loss due to serious illness E. Increase in the secretion of oxytoxin

Interdisciplinary Studies