10 sexual traditions of the ancient world that can be perceived as very controversial today

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Although conservatives argue that modern society has become too free in its morals compared to its godly ancestors, some of the sexual practices of the ancients look overly extravagant today. In this review, we'll explore the shocking sexual traditions of ancient civilizations.

Wife for rent from the Arabs

The ancient pre-Islamic Arabs had a strange custom - "wife for rent". This custom existed not only for political or economic gain, it was a kind of early form of eugenics. This activity was practiced mainly by low-ranking families who wanted their children and grandchildren to become more noble. Wives were rented out to men who held a high position in society, only they were allowed to have sexual intercourse with another man's wife. Children born from such a conception were considered the children of the spouse, and not the biological father, but the social status of the family increased. Renting out a wife was quite simple - the husband simply sent the woman to the house of the person who liked her. There she remained until she became pregnant.

Romance of sodomy among the ancient Greeks

When educational institutions in the version familiar to a modern person did not yet exist in Ancient Greece, and tutoring was the main way of educating young people, sodomy flourished in society. For the ancient Cretans, it was even romantic.

When a loving resident of Crete noticed a young man whom he really liked, he had to first notify the boy's friends that he intended to take him as his lover. This official proposal allowed the chosen one to either hide if he did not want to enter into a relationship, or reverently prepare for his symbolic abduction.

Preservation of the life force of "qi" in the Taoists

The cornerstone of Taoism is the life force "qi" that permeates everything. Taoist philosophy as a whole divides "qi" into two components - yin and yang (positive and negative energies). By maintaining a balance between these two forces, one can supposedly achieve perfect spiritual harmony and physical well-being.

When it comes to the human body, "qi" takes the form of jing (the essence that gives us life), and Taoists believe that the loss of jing can lead to disease and even death. Most of all "jing", according to the Taoists, is contained in the male seed. The adherents of Taoism believed that a man should not spend too much sperm. In this regard, ancient Chinese men were advised not to ejaculate during sex.

Fellatio - a godly occupation for the ancient Egyptians

The first mention of fellatio goes back to the ancient Egyptian myth of the resurrection of Osiris. The story goes that Osiris was killed by his brother Set, who chopped him to pieces and scattered them all over the world. Isis, the sister-wife of Osiris, went around the world to collect all the parts of her beloved and bring him back to life. Unfortunately, she was unable to find Osiris' penis. Therefore, Isis sculpted a male organ from clay and through it breathed life into Osiris.

It was because of this myth that fellatio was not viewed by the ancient Egyptians as something immoral. It is worth noting that the Egyptians used red lipstick to advertise their experience in providing oral pleasure.

And the ancient Romans, unlike the Egyptians, were categorically against oral sex. It was a common belief among the Romans that those giving blowjobs had bad breath. The man known as the fellator was never invited to visit. However, the Romans successfully used slaves for oral pleasure.

Pharaoh masturbation on the banks of the Nile

The ancient Egyptians believed in the myth of the creation of the universe by the god Atum (or Ra). It said that the world was originally a black chaos, from which the egg was formed. The god Atum emerged from this egg. Apparently, the first thing Atum did when he was born was to masturbate. From his seed, the gods were born who helped him create the universe and rule over it.

Since the ancient Egyptians believed that the pharaoh was the representative of the god Ra on Earth, he had to perform some obligatory rituals, one of which was the annual ritual of staging the creation of the universe by Atum. During the holiday, the pharaoh, along with his subjects, had to go to the banks of the Nile, undress and perform an act of masturbation. Particular emphasis was placed on ensuring that the pharaoh's sperm fell into the river, and not on the ground. Then a similar action was performed by all the others who came to the ceremony. The Egyptians believed that in this way they nourished the life-giving power of the river, which would provide them with a good harvest for the next year.

Adult toys in the ancient world

Archaeologists claim that toys for adults were very popular among the ancients. The oldest stone didlo is estimated to be 26,000 years old. And the Egyptian queen Cleopatra even used a vibrator made of a hollow pumpkin filled with live bees.

The ancient Greeks and Romans not only used dildos, but also tried to modernize them in every possible way. They pulled leather covers on wooden and stone sex toys. According to surviving written sources from that time, Greek women staged a sex strike during the Peloponnesian War due to the fact that the import of quality leather dildos was stopped.

Distribution of roles

The ancient Greeks and Romans considered the idea of same-sex sexual behavior to be quite natural, therefore the concept of akin to the modern “homosexual” simply did not exist. But there was a cult of masculinity. It was believed that a real man should always take the lead in sex. In turn, the passive partner assumed the female role, and in society he was treated with some disdain.

Maya boys' premarital ties

The upper Maya castes were very practical in raising their sons. They believed that it was the responsibility of parents not only to provide them with financial and emotional support, but also to meet the sexual needs of their children.

When sons from noble families reached maturity, their parents looked for the most beautiful young men from commoner families, so that they would be sexual partners of their sons before marriage. This union between boys was considered akin to de facto marriage and was recognized by law. Maya boys even lived with each other until they got married, around the age of 20. Homosexual relations between boys were officially legalized, but even men from noble families were severely punished for rape.

Casual Liaisons at the Temple of Aphrodite

The philosopher Herodotus, talking about the rituals of the Assyrians, mentioned prostitution. This occupation, he said, was not only legal in ancient Assyria, but obligatory for all unmarried women. The fact is that the Assyrians had a very popular cult of Aphrodite or, as they also called, Militty, Ishtar. Therefore, they believed that in order for a woman to receive the grace of the goddess, she must have sex with strangers in the temple of Aphrodite. Every woman in the Assyrian empire, from royalty to beggars, had to, at least once in her life, participate in this sacred rite in the temple of Aphrodite.

Bestiality as entertainment and a sacred rite

The practice of having sex with animals is as old as humanity itself. On the bone rods, which are about 25,000 years old, you can see scenes in which a lioness licks the genitals of women and men. Images from the seventh century BC of a man having sex with a donkey were found on a cave wall in Italy. And even in the Bible there are direct references to bestiality.

It is known for certain that rich women in ancient Rome kept snakes for sexual pleasure, and men raped animals in the Colosseum.

Unlike the ancient Romans, who practiced sex with animals for pleasure or entertainment, the ancient Greeks were seen to be bestiality for religious reasons. They turned this act into a central rite during the orgy and made it part of the ceremony in the temple of Aphrodite Parne.

If the ancient people had homosexual relationships in the tradition and were perceived by society calmly, then in the modern world the problem of same-sex sexual relations is very acute.