Was gay marriage legal in ancient Rome?

Within the next few weeks, gay marriage will become legal in the United States. read more

Gay marriage is not a modern idea. Throughout the height of the Roman Empire, it was not only commonplace, but sometimes mandatory. Gay marriage is not a modern idea. read more

Same-sex unions were known in Ancient Greece and Rome, ancient Mesopotamia, in some regions of China, such as Fujian province, and at certain times in ancient European history. Same-sex marital practices and rituals were more recognized in Mesopotamia than in ancient Egypt. read more

Ancient Rome offers no precedent for gay marriage, just as it offered no precedent for the abolition of slavery or the emancipation of women. Juvenal, Martial, Plautus — those texts are fascinating witnesses to transgender women or transphobia, while Nero’s purported abuse of Sporus is a monument to power unchecked. read more